Paw and order: Lucy the labrador provides support as Australia’s first full-time court dog

Lucy’s home is the Victorian Office of Public Prosecutions but she will visit the Melbourne family court one day a week as part of a pilot program. Photograph: Office of Public Prosecutions Victoria

When Lucy enters a courtroom at the federal circuit and family court in Melbourne, she bows to the judge – as is customary. Only Lucy is no ordinary court attender. She is a five-year-old chocolate labrador deployed as a “court facility dog” as part of a pilot program to provide support for people in court .

Lucy, who is Instagram-famous through her handle @courtdoglucy, is the first accredited court dog working full-time in Australia. She belongs to the Victorian Office of Public Prosecutions and for the next three months is on loan to the family court one day a week.