2026 International Courthouse Dogs Conference: Full Schedule

3:00pm PDT

Budgeting for Your Facility Dog Program: From Day One to Retirement

Wednesday October 7, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT

Sustaining a facility dog program takes more than passion — it takes community. Sarah Grabner knows this firsthand. As a handler, Victim Assistance Supervisor, and CDF's Oregon State Liaison, she has built a grassroots funding approach that meets people where they are — civic groups, tabling events, speaking engagements, conferences, and everything in between.

In this session, Sarah shares the practical strategies she has developed for engaging her community, building local awareness, and converting that goodwill into real support for her program. From planning for the long game — including the often-overlooked costs of aging and retirement — to finding the donors, partners, and advocates already waiting in your community, Sarah's approach is practical, replicable, and grounded in what actually works.

Whether you are just starting to think about funding or looking to diversify and grow what you already have, this session will give you a toolkit you can take home and put to work immediately.

Speakers

Sarah Grabner

Victim Assistance Supervisor, Clackamas County District Attorney's Office

Dogs Attending

Nacho IV

Canine Companions, Clackamas County DA

Clackamas County (OR) District Attorney’s Office Courthouse Facility Dog; trained by Canine Companions.

Wednesday October 7, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Canoe Room

Breakout Sessions

3:00pm PDT

Building a Facility Dog Culture: The Long Game

Wednesday October 7, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT

Coal Harbor B Ballroom

Some programs survive. Gina Yeager's thrives — and has for nearly two decades, across three generations of facility dogs.

As Victim Services Coordinator for the Fifth Judicial District DA's Office in Roswell, New Mexico, Gina has built something rare: an organization where facility dogs are not a program feature but a foundational expectation. New Victim Advocates must be willing to handle a dog — it is written into every job posting. Incoming prosecutors are onboarded with facility dog protocols from day one. And an independent nonprofit ensures the program is never at the mercy of a government budget cycle.

In this session, Gina shares the philosophy, the practical strategies, and the hard-won lessons behind a program that has not just survived leadership transitions, budget pressures, and organizational change — but rather grown stronger through all of it. She will explore what it means to embed a facility dog so deeply into the culture of an organization and community that its absence becomes unthinkable.

If you want your program to still be here decades from now — and thriving — this is the session for you.

Speakers

Gina Yeager

Victim Services Coordinator, Fifth Judicial District DA Office

Gina Yeager is the Victim Services Coordinator, Violence Prevention Program Coordinator, and Court Facility Dog Coordinator for the Fifth Judicial District DA's Office in Chaves County, New Mexico. A third-generation facility dog handler, Gina has spent more than a decade building one of th... Read More →

Wednesday October 7, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Coal Harbor B Ballroom

Breakout Sessions

3:00pm PDT

Heart Work: A Facilitated Discussion on Self-Care for Facility Dog Handlers

Wednesday October 7, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT

Cypress Room

This work is hard. You show up for survivors, witnesses, and victims on their worst days — and you do it with grace, professionalism, and a dog by your side. But who shows up for you?

In this facilitated group discussion, Katie Gray — founder of the Empowered Heart Foundation and a passionate advocate for handler wellness — creates a space for honest conversation about the emotional weight of this work and the self-care practices that make it sustainable. Drawing on her expertise and the lived experience in the room, Katie will guide participants through a candid exploration of what it means to care for yourself so you can continue to care for others.

This is not a lecture. It is a conversation — one where the collective wisdom and experience of handlers in the room is as valuable as anything on the agenda. Come ready to connect, share, and leave with something real to carry forward.

Speakers

Katie Gray

President, The Empowered Heart® Foundation

Wednesday October 7, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Cypress Room

Breakout Sessions

3:00pm PDT

Paws, Posts & Presence: Building Your Program's Visual Story

Wednesday October 7, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT

Coal Harbour A Ballroom

Your facility dog is one of the most compelling storytellers in the room — and your social media presence should be too. In this session, Kim Gramlich, President of Justice Facility Dogs Canada and the creative force behind the beloved Paws with Puma channels, shares what she has learned building an authentic, engaging social media presence that goes far beyond cute dog photos.
From Instagram to Facebook to LinkedIn, Kim will walk attendees through the art of building a visual story that captures the heart of this work — one that resonates with potential donors, raises community awareness, and opens doors to partnerships and support. Along the way she'll tackle one of every black dog handler's favorite challenges: how to actually capture your dog on camera when they have a talent for disappearing into the shadows. Spoiler — lighting, angles, and a little patience go a long way.
Whether your program has zero social media presence or a following you're ready to grow, this session will leave you with practical tools, fresh ideas, and a new appreciation for the story only your dog can tell.

Speakers

Kim Gramlich

Dogs Attending

Puma

PADS, Delta Police

I am a Justice Facility Dog, supporting victims of crime and trauma at Delta Police Victim Services. 🐾🚔

Instagram Profile

Wednesday October 7, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Coal Harbour A Ballroom

Breakout Sessions

3:00pm PDT

Sparked: One Handler's Journey and What It Takes to Start a New Program

Wednesday October 7, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT

Seymour

Every facility dog program begins with a moment — a story heard, a dog witnessed at work, a conviction that this is something your community needs. For Heather Martin, that spark came from another handler, and what followed was a journey of research, persistence, advocacy, and ultimately, a thriving new program in Castle Rock, Colorado.

In this session, Heather shares her story — not just as inspiration, but as a roadmap. Whether you are in the early stages of research, actively building the case for a program in your community, or looking to become an advocate who helps others start programs of their own, Heather's experience offers something for every stage of the journey.

From navigating institutional buy-in to finding the right placing organization, understanding the CDF resources available to you, and building the community support that makes a program sustainable — this is the session for anyone who has ever thought, "we need one of these where I live."

Come with your questions. Heather started exactly where you are.

Speakers

Heather Martin

Court Supervisor II, Douglas (CO) County Courthouse

Hi, I'm Heather! I have worked for the Colorado Judicial Branch for 15 years in various roles including clerking for judges, in the Clerk of Court's office, and am now a Supervisor overseeing many different areas of the court. It was while working in a Dependency and Neglect docket... Read More →

Wednesday October 7, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Seymour

Breakout Sessions

11:30am PDT

Budgeting for Your Facility Dog Program: From Day One to Retirement

Thursday October 8, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm PDT

Canoe Room

Speakers

Sarah Grabner

Victim Assistance Supervisor, Clackamas County District Attorney's Office

Dogs Attending

Nacho IV

Canine Companions, Clackamas County DA

Clackamas County (OR) District Attorney’s Office Courthouse Facility Dog; trained by Canine Companions.

Thursday October 8, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm PDT
Canoe Room

Breakout Sessions

11:30am PDT

Fit for Duty: Keeping Your Facility Dog Healthy, Happy, and Working

Thursday October 8, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm PDT

Coal Harbour A Ballroom

Your facility dog shows up for everyone else — this session is about showing up for them.

Dr. Irene O'Brien, a veterinarian with firsthand understanding of the demands placed on working dogs, brings a practitioner's lens to one of the most important — and sometimes overlooked — aspects of running a successful facility dog program: the health and welfare of the dog at the center of it all.

From recognizing the subtle signs of stress and fatigue to understanding the physical demands of high-volume justice work, Dr. O'Brien will share practical, actionable tips that handlers can take home and put to use immediately. Topics will touch on routine wellness, stress indicators, the importance of recovery time, and how to be your dog's best advocate within your organization and with your veterinary team.

Speakers

Dr. Irene O'Brien

Owner, Scottsdale Veterinary Hospital

Dr. Irene O'Brien graduated from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan with distinction. She is an owner of Scottsdale Veterinary Hospital in Surrey, B.C. and has been enjoying the challenges of small animal medicine and surgery for more than... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm PDT
Coal Harbour A Ballroom

Breakout Sessions

11:30am PDT

Paws, Posts & Presence: Building Your Program's Visual Story

Thursday October 8, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm PDT

Seymour

Speakers

Kim Gramlich

Dogs Attending

Puma

PADS, Delta Police

I am a Justice Facility Dog, supporting victims of crime and trauma at Delta Police Victim Services. 🐾🚔

Instagram Profile

Thursday October 8, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm PDT
Seymour

Breakout Sessions

11:30am PDT

Your Voice, Our Roadmap: Shaping the Future of Facility Dog Research

Thursday October 8, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm PDT

Cypress Room

The most important research questions don't always come from a laboratory — they come from the field. From the handlers, program administrators, and justice professionals who live this work every day and know firsthand where the gaps are, where the uncertainty lives, and what answers would make the biggest difference.

In this session, Dr. Jennifer Thompson facilitates a structured conversation designed to do exactly that — gather handler perspectives to help shape CDF's future research priorities and educational agenda. What do you wish the science could tell you? What questions come up in your work that no one has yet answered? Where do you need more evidence to make your case?

Your insight matters. This session is your opportunity to help set the direction — and to ensure that future conferences, curriculum, and research efforts reflect what handlers and programs actually need.
Come with your questions, your gaps, and your ideas. This one is for you.

Speakers