SEATTLE -- King County's best employee, Errol the Courthouse Dog, is hanging up his collar and starting his golden years.

Errol, who celebrated his 12th birthday Monday, has spent a decade in the King County Superior Court comforting children, people with developmental disabilities and older people when they are called to testify or provide witness interviews. The black Lab/golden retriever mix (aka a goldador") was honored Tuesday by the Metropolitan King County Council, which decreed Oct. 21, 2025, Errol the Courthouse Dog Day.

King County pioneered the use of courtroom canines in 2004. Handler and senior deputy prosecuting attorney Page Ulrey worked with Ellie, the country's first courthouse dog, who held the post until she died in 2015. Errol took over for Ellie, and is the nation's 100th courtroom dog, as the program has spread throughout the states.

"People just light up" when they learn they can have a dog with them, Ulrey said. "It just creates this positive thing out of what, for them, is just dread."

King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion said Tuesday that Errol has "quiet strength, patience and an extraordinary gift," and has helped hundreds of victims during his tenure. She recalled a case when Errol sat with a 13-year-old who was testifying in the trial of a man accused of killing the boy's mother. Errol sat with the boy on the stand and stared out at the courtroom, reminding that young person, Manion said, that he was not alone.

"We don't really deserve dogs," King County Executive Shannon Braddock said, "but I'm sure glad they're around."

Errol got many head pats, kisses and, most important, treats outside council chambers before and after his proclamation, as dozens of court and prosecutor's office staff packed in for the event.

The official proclamation read: "Whereas, while Errol may be hanging up his leash, the paw prints he's left on the hearts of those he helped — and the future-trauma informed court practices — will never fade."

Felicia Ako, CEO of the King County-based Courthouse Dogs Foundation, said many service dogs provide one-to-one assistance and are highly trained, often for people with medical needs. Courthouse dogs, though, offer one-to-many companionship.

Ako said many of the dogs are golden/Labrador mixes, like Errol. Canine Companions breeds the dogs to be calm and friendly. On Tuesday, Ako was accompanied by Kasha, a 6-month-old puppy who is training to be a courthouse dog — and was far more excitable than her elder, Errol.

While Canine Companions trains the dogs, they are cared for by foster volunteers until they "graduate." They are trained to sit down for a long time, not bark or whine and work directly with vulnerable people for at least 20 hours a week. Their skills include picking items up and resting their body on a person's lap to provide calming pressure.

The prosecutor's office is working to find Errol's successor. Errol lay at Ulrey's feet in her office for a nap after his big day, and a banner hung from her office door: "It's my bday mother puppers." A sign by the door identified Errol as a "senior deputy 'paw'secutor."

The idea for a courtroom dog started after former deputy prosecuting attorney Ellen O’Neill-Stephens brought her son's service dog Jeeter to juvenile court, and noticed it made a profound impact on kids.

Ulrey decided to apply with Canine Companions, a service dog provider, to see if they would provide a dog to help people testifying in court. Her application was rejected.

Ulrey reapplied a few months later, arguing crime victims have a tremendous need for companion dogs who are specially trained. That time they granted the application, and Ellie became the first courthouse dog in 2004. There are now over 250 courthouse dogs in the U.S. and nine other countries, Ako said.

Ulrey, chair of the elder abuse unit, said Ellie helped many victims who were developmentally disabled adults. After helping one such victim, attorneys for the defendant argued his right to a fair trial was violated because Ellie's presence would make the jury more sympathetic to the victim. The Washington Court of Appeals disagreed.

Upon Ellie's death in 2015, former Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg told Ulrey "We need another dog." Canine Companions provided Errol, age 2 at the time, as a successor dog.

Tuesday was Errol's official last day. He plans to spend his retirement running around Ulrey's Vashon Island property, but she hopes to still bring Errol — known as Errol Bean — into the courthouse informally some days. For the other members of her office, he is always a friendly, furry face.

Manion said, "The pursuit of justice includes healing, humanity and sometimes a cold nose and warm heart."

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