Dogs are one of the most empathetic animals when it comes to human interaction. There are as many pets as the number of houses in the United States. A brilliant idea was created by trying to make the best of difficult circumstances through pet adoption programs who work with prisons. The beautiful part about what we see here is the mutual benefit that both people in prison, and dogs in shelters receive. Each party plays a role in rehabilitating the other and teaching valuable life skills.
As the word spreads about this concept, animal shelters and charities teaming up with prisons are becoming more common. These programs pair up prisoners with dogs in shelters who are up for adoption but are poor candidates to be chosen because of behavior issues. The dogs need a little rehabilitation and go to prisons where they are paired up with inmates. Prisoners train the dogs with the help of trainers or staff while participating in a cause that positively impacts the community. This consists of doing daily chores like taking a pet for a walk, giving a shower, cleaning their waste, feeding, and training new behaviors in dogs with the goal to make them adoptable. The life of a dog in a shelter has many parallels to humans in prison. Both have the shared experience of being outcasts of society and held in captivity. Prisoners see aspects of themselves in the dogs and relate to them in ways other people haven’t been able to do in their life. Whether it be through experiencing neglect, lack of freedom, or a need to improve behaviorally, the prisoners can relate to the dogs and it often opens their hearts.
Studies on the impact of these programs are overwhelmingly consistent in their findings that collaborating with others, including a dog to improve behavior, has a significantly positive impact on people in prison. The benefits reported by people in prison who participate in the programs are deeply impactful on an emotional level. One common benefit was a sense of responsibility that carried rewards relating to outlook and increased purpose in life. The self-esteem of participants received a significant boost as well as increased feelings of compassion and empathy. They also experienced grief when a dog they spent significant time with was adopted out of the program. Many participants deal with a history of behavioral problems which landed them in prison, and find their perceptions about life challenged. They can understand themselves better because of daily interaction with a dog. It also helps participants develop vocational skills related to animal care and training which they can use towards obtaining certification and future employment once they are released from prison.
The program does require help from motivated community members and staff for everything to work. Including financial and animal training assistance. A prison may not naturally be the best place to take part in training and rehabilitation for a dog. But it’s a lot better than being isolated in a cage, like how a prisoner must feel.. Since caring for dogs is such a large responsibility, never mind a group of them, strict oversight is needed. That can be costly. On the flip side, these units report significantly lower levels of problems and increased rapport with prison staff.
This is a heart-warming new trend that we hope keeps gaining momentum and popularity. It has extraordinary benefits for all involved and society at large. The humanitarian cause of helping a human turn their life around is priceless. The cost of reincarceration is a significant burden on society. Both mentally and emotionally. When viewed within this context, it’s hard to find an argument against the implementation and growth of this program. We have an overcrowded prison population of both humans and animals that would be much better off outside in a stable environment. Canine prison programs accomplish this while providing valuable experiences for participants along the way.
