2026 International Courthouse Dogs Conference: Full Schedule

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9:15am PDT

Wednesday October 7, 2026 9:15am - 9:30am PDT

The opening land acknowledgment and blessing at the 2026 International Courthouse Dogs® Conference is made possible through the generous support of the Vancouver Police Foundation. We are grateful for their partnership in honoring the traditions of the land on which we gather for this special conference.

Speakers

Elder Dennis Joseph

Squamish Nation

Xwechtaal Dennis Joseph is an Elder Statesman from the Squamish Nation where he served on Chiefs and Council for 28 years and worked there for 40. He is the first Indigenous person in Canada to be appointed via legislature to a Police Board at West Vancouver. A volunteer co-founder... Read More →

Wednesday October 7, 2026 9:15am - 9:30am PDT
Coal Harbour Ballroom

Mainstage

9:30am PDT

KEYNOTE: From Survivor to Advocate: Transforming Trauma into Justice and Empowerment

Wednesday October 7, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am PDT

Coal Harbour Ballroom

Kara Robinson Chamberlain is one of the most compelling survivor advocates of our time. At age 15, Kara was abducted from her front yard in Columbia, South Carolina and held captive for 18 hours before making a daring escape. Rather than letting that experience define her as a victim, she transformed it into a lifelong commitment to justice, advocacy, and the empowerment of survivors everywhere. Her story has reached millions — through television, speaking engagements, and her own advocacy work — and her voice continues to inspire those who work on the front lines of trauma every day.
We are honored to welcome Kara to Vancouver as our opening keynote speaker for the 2026 International Courthouse Dogs® Conference.
The opening keynote at the 2026 International Courthouse Dogs® Conference is made possible through the generous support of the Vancouver Police Foundation. We are grateful for their partnership in bringing this extraordinary voice to our stage.

Speakers

Kara Robinson Chamberlain

I never set out to become a public speaker—but my story made sure I wouldn’t stay silent.

In 2002, at age 15, I was kidnapped from a friend’s front yard at gunpoint. For 18 hours, I gathered every detail I could while enduring the unthinkable, and when I escaped, I gave law enforcement the information that identified my captor—a man responsible for the murders of at

... Read More →

Wednesday October 7, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am PDT
Coal Harbour Ballroom

Keynote, Opening

10:50am PDT

A Province at a Time: How Quebec Built a Government-Backed Justice Dog Program

Wednesday October 7, 2026 10:50am - 11:50am PDT

Coal Harbour Ballroom

Speakers

Charlotte Moses-Bélanger

Clinical Counselour, Mira Foundation

Charlotte Moses Bélanger is a clinical counselor holding a master’s degree in psychoeducation with nearly two decades of experience with the Mira Foundation, where she has been involved since 2008.

She has developed a strong understanding of the different stages in the life cycle of assistance dogs, from selection and training to matching, active service, and retirement, as well as their meaningful impact on beneficiaries.She specializes in project evaluation and in supporting... Read More →

Wednesday October 7, 2026 10:50am - 11:50am PDT
Coal Harbour Ballroom

Mainstage

1:00pm PDT

Purpose-Bred Dogs: The Case, the Challenges, and the Future of Supply

Wednesday October 7, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm PDT

Coal Harbour Ballroom

The facility dog model depends on a pipeline of exceptional animals — dogs bred, raised, and trained for the specific demands of justice work. In this session, Jackie Clark explores what purpose-bred dogs offer that other placements cannot: more predictable temperament and health, the ability to match a dog to an agency's specific needs, advance planning for retirement and succession, and the capacity to scale as demand grows.
As the justice facility dog model continues to grow, so too does the conversation around supply, demand, and the evolving landscape of dog placement. Jackie will explore some of the broader challenges facing the industry today — and what opportunities they present for accredited programs to strengthen their position, tell their story more effectively, and meet the growing need.
A candid, forward-looking session for handlers, program administrators, and anyone who cares about the long-term health of the justice facility dog movement.

Speakers

Jackie Clark

Co-Founder, Working Dog Innovations

Wednesday October 7, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm PDT
Coal Harbour Ballroom

Mainstage

1:50pm PDT

PANEL: Trained for This: How ADI Programs Prepare Facility Dogs for Justice Work

Wednesday October 7, 2026 1:50pm - 2:45pm PDT

Coal Harbour Ballroom

Trained for This: How ADI-Accredited Programs Prepare Facility Dogs for Justice Work A panel moderated by Kim Gramlich, Justice Facility Dogs Canada
Panelists: Charlotte Moses-Bélanger, Clinic Counselor, MIRA Foundation · Geneviève Deschênes, Canine Instructor & Training Coordinator MIRA Foundation · Courtney Starr, Head Instructor, Lions Foundation for the Blind · Jacob Rodgers, Senior Manager Client Care, PADS · Cat Barrette, Apprentice Trainer, PADS

It all begins before a puppy takes its first steps. Intentional breeding — selecting the right lineage, temperament, and drive from the very start — is the foundation upon which every exceptional facility dog is built. This panel — comprised of representatives from three of North America's leading ADI-accredited placing organizations — will pull back the curtain on what it truly takes to prepare a dog for the unique demands of justice work.
Moderated by Kim Gramlich, President of Justice Facility Dogs Canada and a handler herself, the conversation will follow the arc of a facility dog's development: from intentional breeding and early socialization, through the specialized training that prepares dogs for courtrooms, forensic interviews, and crisis settings, to what placing organizations look for when partnering with a new program. Panelists will also speak to the realities of supply, the growing demand for qualified dogs, and how accredited programs are working to meet the need.
This session is designed to be a conversation — not just a presentation. Attendees are encouraged to bring their questions, and dedicated time will be reserved for open Q&A with the panelists. Come with your questions — this is your chance to hear directly from the organizations behind the dogs.

Speakers

Charlotte Moses-Bélanger

Clinical Counselour, Mira Foundation

Catherine Barrette

Apprentice Trainer, Pacific Assistance Dogs Society (PADS)

Geneviève Deschênes

Canine Instructor + Training Coordinator, MIRA Foundation

I have been a Dog Trainer and Guide Dog Mobility Instructor since 2014 with a diverse background working not only with dogs, but also with people, horses, and even camels.

Throughout my career at Fondation Mira, I have had the privilege of learning from several master dog trainers and developing my expertise through a variety of specialized training programs. My experience includes training autism assistance dogs for children, service dogs for individuals... Read More →

Kim Gramlich

Courtney Starr

Head Instructor - Autism Assistance Dog Guide Program and Facility Support Dog Program, Lions Foundation of Canada/ Dog Guides

Jacob Rodgers

Senior Manager, Client Care, Pacific Assistance Dogs Society (PADS)

Wednesday October 7, 2026 1:50pm - 2:45pm PDT
Coal Harbour Ballroom

Panel Discussion

4:00pm PDT

The Science of the Bond: What Research Tells Us About Dogs, Stress, and Human Healing in High-Stakes Settings

Wednesday October 7, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT

Coal Harbour Ballroom

We know it when we see it — a child's shoulders drop, a witness takes a breath, a survivor finds words they couldn't find before. But what is actually happening in those moments? Science is beginning to tell us.

Dr. Kerri Rodriguez, one of the world's leading researchers in human-animal interaction, closes Day 1 with a session that gives the justice facility dog community something powerful: the evidence to match the instinct. As Director of the HAB Lab at the University of Arizona, Dr. Rodriguez has spent her career investigating the measurable impacts of the human-animal bond — from stress buffering and trauma recovery to the wellbeing of both the humans and animals in these partnerships.

Drawing on her extensive body of research — work that has been featured in the BBC, Washington Post, National Geographic, People Magazine, and beyond — Dr. Rodriguez will explore what the science tells us about dogs in high-stakes settings, what we still don't know, and why that research matters for the future of the justice facility dog model.
For handlers who have always known this work changes lives, this session will give you the language, the data, and the confidence to say exactly why.

Speakers