Doing Good While Doing Time

                                                              
                                                                        

P.E.T.S. Program Trainer, Dorothy Miner

                                                                                                              

          Many prisons in the country have pet programs in which dogs are trained by inmate handlers, working with shelters, rescues, or service dog organizations.  We have two programs at Allen/Oakwood Correctional Institution in Lima.  One group works with dogs brought in by the Humane Society Serving Clark County, and the other works with dogs brought in by Deb’s Dogs.  Both are under the banner of P.E.T.S. (Pets Educated to Survive.)    This piece will focus on the work of the Clark County group, the one in which I’m primarily involved.

 

          In our program, dogs are brought in for an eight-week stay.  At the end of this period, almost every dog is proficient in the requirements of the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen test.  They are taught acceptable greeting behavior, to interact properly with people and dogs, to accept physical handling, to heel, walk on a loose leash, come when called, to sit or lie down and stay in place when commanded.  In addition, when the dogs leave the program they are housetrained, crate trained, have learned good manners, and if there are behavior issues these are addressed as well. 

           Handlers keep detailed journals – given to the adopters - of every dog’s progress, including instructions for transferring the dog’s training to the new owner.  All dogs are spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped by the shelter prior to going to their new homes.  In other words, they are pretty much perfect pets. 

          Every two weeks a new group of dogs come in, and each one is assigned to a primary handler who will be responsible for its care and training.  Each dog also has a secondary handler, the primary’s cellmate, who can step in when necessary.  These dogs live 24/7 with their handlers.  The men, especially the long-time handlers, rack up significant training experience because of the number of dogs they train, and most of them could be professional trainers.  It’s hard for them to not become attached to their charges, but they know that they are making an otherwise unadoptable dog into someone’s beloved pet. 

          This year a new project was introduced.  The inmate Vietnam Veterans’ group is donating the adoption fees for two dogs per year that will be trained as companions for veterans with post traumatic stress disorder or mild traumatic brain injuries.  Although these are not full-fledged service dogs, the dogs selected for this purpose learn skills in addition to solid and reliable basic obedience.  These dogs stay for a longer period of time than the others to allow for specialized training.
         
          The program just placed the first of these dogs, a mixed breed named Trisha.  Trisha showed special aptitude from the start and her trainer, Willie Maag, took his job seriously, devoting countless hours to perfecting her skills.  When Trisha left the program to live with her new owner she excelled in both on and off-leash obedience work, was able to work under considerable distraction, could be controlled from a distance when necessary, could identify and retrieve several items by name, had learned to position herself to provide a buffer zone between her owner and other people, and had learned a whole repertoire of tricks.  Mr. Maag provided a valuable service for a worthy veteran. 

          Prison Pet programs provide a real service to man and beast.  Dogs who would have little chance of finding a “forever home” because of behavior problems or lack of training become wonderful companions.  The men who work with them have the satisfaction of saving canine lives and enriching the lives of others by creating loving, well-behaved companions.  They also have the companionship of living creatures that depend entirely on them for their care and who shower them with unconditional love and acceptance.  The animals help to provide a much-needed positive experience in a very negative environment.

 

          Prison-trained dogs can be adopted through the Humane Society Serving Clark County or Deb’s Dogs in Lima.  Most of the dogs are photographed and listed on Petfinder.  If you are interested in adopting one of these wonderful animals, contact either group or the author for information. 

 

          If you are looking for a great kitten or cat, the PETS Program has those as well!

 

Dorothy Miner is a long-time dog obedience and tracking instructor, judge of canine events, and author.  She teaches weekly classes for the Allen Correctional Institution’s PETS Program and provides training and consultation under the banner of “Sidekicks” and “Training for Dogs and Their People.”