South Dakota statute
SDCL § 23A-24-10 — Certified therapeutic dogs--Definitions
Current through text effective June 30, 2026 (through the 2025 Regular Session)
Part of Chapter 24: Conduct Of Trial, South Dakota Codified Laws.
Full text of SDCL § 23A-24-10
Statutory text current through the text effective June 30, 2026 (through the 2025 Regular Session). This publication reproduces the official statutory text; it is not the official statutes of the State of South Dakota.
In any criminal proceeding, upon motion of any party as provided in § 23A-24-11, the court may enter any order necessary to allow a child witness or a witness having a developmental disability to be accompanied by a certified therapeutic dog during the witness' testimony in the manner provided in § 23A-24-12.
Terms used in §§
23A-24-10
to 23A-24-12, inclusive, mean:
(1)
"Certified therapeutic dog," a dog that has received the requisite training or certification and is registered with Therapy Dogs Incorporated, Therapy Dogs International, Assistance Dogs International, or an equivalent organization to perform the duties associated with therapy dogs in places such as hospitals, nursing homes, and other facilities where the emotional benefits of therapy dogs are recognized;
(2)
"Certified handler," a person who has received training and is registered with Therapy Dogs Incorporated, Therapy Dogs International, Assistance Dogs International, or an equivalent organization for offering the person's animal for assistance purposes and has received additional training on the protocols and policies of courts, the expected roles of the person's animal assistance team, and the expected interaction so as not to interfere with the collection of evidence or the effective administration of justice;
(3)
"Child witness," a person who has been or will be called to testify in a criminal proceeding and is under the age of eighteen; and
(4)
"Developmental disability," the meaning provided in §
27B-1-18
.
Official sources
Legal terms used in this section
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.