Meet Captain: A Hero Without a Cape
Captain, a two-year-old Labrador Retriever, may not wear a cape, but in his blue vest and tiny Captain America shield, he shows up to work every day like a quiet superhero, steadying anxious children, sparking instant smiles, and turning the most challenging moments at the Kane County Child Advocacy Center into ones that help foster a little more courage.
Captain joined the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office team in January 2025 and was placed at the Kane County Children’s Advocacy Center (KCCAC) through DuoDogs, Inc., a nationally recognized nonprofit that breeds, trains, and places facility dogs. As the Center’s first permanent facility dog, Captain supports children before and after their forensic interviews and in preparing for court. Captain can also offer support during courtroom proceedings based on the approval of the Judge. Judges may also approve facility dogs like Captain to assist victims while testifying. Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie L. Mosser says of Captain’s role, “His presence provides comfort, compassion, and companionship to children seeking protection and justice through the Child Advocacy Center, and his addition to our office reflects my ongoing dedication to ensuring that every child who walks through our doors is met with the understanding and support they deserve.”
Captain’s handlers, KCCAC Forensic Interviewer, Sara Innocenti, and her father, KCCAC Investigator, Tom Ruzevich, share custody and caretaking duties. While Captain primarily lives with Tom, he spends his workdays at the Center, where his calm, friendly demeanor makes him ideal for supporting children. Sara says staff and families describe him as loving and supremely patient. “He’s definitely playful, friendly, loving, and very calm. Every morning, he greets his coworkers by going from cubicle to cubicle, nudging for attention. If you are petting him and you stop, he will look at you like, ‘No, I didn't tell you can stop.’”
Sara describes a typical weekday for Captain when he isn’t working. She says Captain fetches balls down the office’s long hallway, and loves to nap on the car ride home. “Coworkers have spoiled him with toys, but only his favorites, a stuffed taco and an alligator, have survived Captain’s enthusiasm."
Trained through the DuoDogs program, Captain spent his early life from 8 weeks to 18 months with puppy raisers who exposed him to a wide range of everyday environments, including grocery stores, sporting events, and libraries, to help him experience as many scenarios as possible. Captain’s calm, nonreactive temperament identified him as a perfect dog to work with children, so he advanced to “doggy college,” where trainers provided conditioning specific to children, including exposure to noisy public places and even practice in a mock witness box. He became accustomed to the enthusiastic, often rough-and-tumble petting from excited kids, which helped reinforce his gentle, nonreactive demeanor.
All of this advanced preparation is clear in witnessing Captain’s innate ability to provide comfort and support to children involved in challenging situations seeking justice. Sara shares, “As soon as I put on Captain’s blue vest—his uniform—he stands a little taller because he knows he is going to work. Work that he clearly loves. She said children’s faces 'light up' at his arrival, and she has seen him help calm youngsters waiting to testify. Sara shares, “In one instance, a girl petted Captain before giving testimony, gained confidence, and afterward excitedly told him, ‘I did really great up there,’” Sara recalls. “She was sitting on the floor, just petting him, and she actually started talking to him, ‘I’m kind of nervous about this, but you’re really helping right now.’”
Captain is also a lifeline in a heavy job, sharing Captain’s presence “lifts the mood after difficult cases, helps build rapport with children who may be reluctant to speak, and creates a bridge of trust where an unfamiliar adult alone might not.” Sara confides, “Knowing he’s in the office lightens my load.” The Center’s executive staff notes that research supports facility dogs’ ability to lower stress and improve emotional well‑being, which are the benefits Captain brings to interviews, court prep, and other moments of need.
Captain’s care and ongoing evaluations need to be maintained to meet DuoDogs’ standards. Handlers are required to document their weight and health, follow grooming routines (teeth, ears, nail maintenance), and submit videos and vet records for their annual review. The Friends of the Kane County Child Advocacy Center fund Captain’s placement and continued support.
Becoming a handler was a family decision inspired by positive experiences with facility dogs elsewhere. Sara credits her dad for beginning the process after seeing the benefits firsthand; she and Tom now jokingly call themselves “divorced parents” who share custody of Captain until his retirement. “It was a no‑brainer,” Sara says of joining the team. “You get such unconditional love from him.”
To learn more about Captain, read the full article: "Kane County Child Advocacy Center Welcomes First Facility Dog, DuoDog Captain" — Nicholas Jenz, Public Information Officer, Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office (3/1/2025) or visit cac.kanecountyil.gov.
