Oh, i wish my son could have a pet. As it is, he has years to do and he just started his time. I wonder if willacy county unit in texas is allowed. Anyone know if they are?
Unfortunately I have no idea.. but they help greatly! I recently did a job shadow at a local minimum security prison and they have a program where they receive Labrador puppies and train them to guide veterans. The whole time I was doing my tour of the facility the dogs were following us around haha and jumping on us.. the guys who took care of them were so caring and attentive to these dogs. I really think animals help because they are so affectionate and do not judge.. sometimes that's exactly what an inmate needs.
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"Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where others see nothing." -Camille Pissarro
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my man was in the animal program where he is at and he loved it - the stories though omggg were funny but i truly believe the animal programs in prisons do help the inmates plus it gives them a purpose
pet programs are so awesome! they have one at SRCI in Oregon for minimum inmates. such a great incentive and support program! My brother is at SRCI and it will be at least a year til he can qualify to train a dog but we can't wait!
In Fort Dodge, IA the inmates get to train the dogs from the shelter... I think it definitely helps to pass the time and gives them more responsibility.
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“We loved with a love that was more than love.” ~ Edgar Allan Poe
I know there is not a whole lot of love for Joe Arpaio here but this article caught my eye
Maricopa County was spending approx. $18 million dollars a year on stray animals, like cats and dogs. Sheriff Joe offered to take the department over, and the County Supervisors said okay.
The animal shelters are now all staffed and operated by prisoners. They feed and care for the strays. Every animal in his care is taken out and walked twice daily. He now has prisoners who are experts in animal nutrition and behavior. They give great classes for anyone who'd like to adopt an animal. He has literally taken stray dogs off the street, given them to the care of prisoners, and had them place in dog shows.
The best part? His budget for the entire department is now under $3 million. Teresa and I adopted a Weimaraner from a Maricopa County shelter two years ago. He was neutered and current on all shots, in great health, and even had a microchip inserted the day we got him. Cost us $78.
The prisoners get the benefit of about $0.28 an hour for working, but most would work for free, just to be out of their cells for the day. Most of his budget is for utilities, building maintenance, etc. He pays the prisoners out of the fees collected for adopted animals.
Bumping an old thread just to say I wish more facilities had the pet programs. While my husband may not be able to get involved in one if mental health court pulls through for him, I do know how much he misses my dog and how much my dog misses her daddy. Just yesterday, I played an old recording he'd left on my phone while my dog was minding her own business, and as soon as she heard his voice, her ears shot straight up. The day everything happened and he was booked and for quite awhile after that, she was absolutely beside herself, crying all the time even after I reassured her that I was only in the other room and hadn't left her. Whenever he calls while I'm downstairs and my dog is upstairs, she starts clawing the crap out of the floor because she can hear him and thinks her daddy is lurking around somewhere in the house where she can't find him. I wish I could bring her along to visits with me, but I feel like I would end up breaking off another piece of her admittedly large heart every time we'd have to leave. I tell my husband quite a lot that this is one time I really wish I could speak dog because I'm sure she doesn't completely understand what's happening. I know she knows her daddy is in trouble by the way she was reacting when he got booked, but I'd be surprised if she completely understands the situation that he's in.
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I think it's an awesome program but I think the people getting the dogs should be screened and tested for anger issues and mental disabilities. My husband was at a facility where they had the pet program and 90% of these guys mistreated the pets horribly and were only doing it to earn the 90$ monthly pay. My husband called me on several occasions wanting to beat someone's head in for mistreating their dog. It caused him alot of stress and I'm glad he was moved out of there.
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Last edited by nygirl17; 11-15-2017 at 06:00 AM..
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My husband's room had a rat they were shielding and feeding. They named it Bastille and while it was never really tame it came out of hiding when they dropped food.
I think it's an awesome program but I think the people getting the dogs should be screened and tested for anger issues and mental disabilities.
I agree.
Sortuv.
Depending on the mental disability, I wouldn't disqualify a person from getting these dogs. They may need a little extra guidance with the dogs, but for those with mental disabilities especially, animals can be a great help. Plenty of the people that go through these dog programs end up adopting the dog when they get out, so why not set up one of these dogs with someone who has a mental disability and train it to be a service dog?
I also say this because, depending on your definition of "mental disability," both I and my husband have that, and not only do I have a dog that I spoil rotten, but my husband adores that dog as well, he misses her quite a lot right now, she misses him a lot as well, and she loves him so much that she cried and howled for quite a few days after he was booked.
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