The WA Attorney General has defended a decision by the Department of Public Prosecutions to spend $162,000 on a therapy dog.

A three-year contract with Guide Dogs WA began earlier this week and includes a professionally trained canine to provide emotional support to staff.

John Quigley told 6PR’s Liam Bartlett public prosecutors are exposed to high levels of trauma from dealing with victims of serious sexual assault crimes, homicide and child sexual abuse.

“A lot of these prosecutors are young family people, and day in, day out they are dealing with the most horrendous sex crimes, and the most horrendous violent crimes,” he said.

“What a lot of them are doing are resigning, because they can’t cope with the workload, and they can’t cope with the ongoing stress.”

He said expert advice was sought in an effort to improve the mental wellbeing of prosecutors.

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