Yes, that's right, puppies in prison. You see, there are prison programs in place that prepare puppies to help the disabled population. There's an expected change coming in the number of disabled with the thousands of wounded veterans returning from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, so the demand for these assistance dogs will increase. Whoever thought of this was really on the ball!
In some of the low and medium security prison facilities, inmates are chosen to take a puppy to raise. These inmates are non-violent and have good behavior records. The puppies are with the inmates all the time ... at mess hall, at the gym and sleeping in dog crates in their rooms. These facilities are not cells, but rooms with doors, to better acclimate the puppy for the real world.
The inmates, along with a professional dog trainer, put the dogs through a rigorous program that prepares them for advanced training at the National Education for Assistance Dog Service (NEADS) in central Massachusetts. NEADS is a non-profit organization that provides assistance dogs for the deaf and disabled. They have more than 80 puppies in eight correctional facilities around New England.
The puppies complete their training in four months and are then provided to members of the disabled population through a waiting list. There are approximately 85 people requesting assistance dogs currently.
Having these dogs in a prison setting has provided benefits for the prison atmosphere, too. They seem to bring out the best in the inmates and their very presence diffuses tension. The inmates selected to raise the puppies are distracted from missing the "outside" and get unconditional love... not what you'd typically find in a correctional facility. The puppies also benefit as they truly get undivided attention and affection. A real win-win situation.
