What are puppies doing in prisons? The short answer is they are being trained to assist the disabled population. The number in the disabled population is expected to change considerably in the near future, with the thousands of wounded veterans returning from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This will significantly increase the demand for these assistance dogs. The creator of this program was really spot-on!
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 demonstrated good behavior. 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 substantial 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 some 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. Puppies just have that affect on people. The inmates selected to raise the puppies benefit by being distracted from missing the outside world and they receive unconditional love and companionship .... not exactly what one typically finds in a correctional facility. The puppies also benefit as they get all the undivided attention and affection they can handle. The program is an all around winner!
About the Author:Debbie Foster is the owner of Pet Beds Unlimited and an avid animal lover. You can find a wide selection of quality pet beds, dog crates, dog carriers, dog pens, cat beds, cat carriers, large dog beds and pet strollers at http://petbedsunlimited.com.
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Recalls (entrance door openers for disabled)
By: Denis | 19-07-2008
Need to know which automatic entrance door openers for disabled are/were recalled due to quick/hard closing problems which can push people over.
Can child support payments owed to the state of ...
By: cutie61479 | 18-07-2008
can child support payments owed to the state of california be waived if the parent is mentally disable and collecting ssi
An I work if 100% disabled vrt do to uneployablity
By: walter | 17-07-2008
I"m 100% disabled veteran do to PTSD my 100 is base on uneployablity. can it still work a part-time job? What is the max I can earn if I can work?
As a person with cerebral palsy. I cannot mount ...
By: Bob | 16-07-2008
As a person with cerebral palsy. I cannot mount the seat of a stationary bike. I am looking for a stationary bike designed for people who are disabled.
Bus driver hits disabled child on the head and denies it. What can i do
By: Janetm | 16-07-2008
I have a 14 year old daughter who is mentally delay. She knows how to communicate and espress herself. She recently got dropped off by the bus driver and my daughter as soon as she walked in the house started crying saying that the lady of the bus hit her on the head. I called her teacher and mentioned the incident. The teacher got in contact with the manager of the bus company and told him what happened. The owner asked the bus driver which eventually denied doing such thing. The owner of the bus just said there was nothing he can do that the case is loss. What can i do aside of justdoing a compliant to the owner if he is only going by what the bus driver said and not even doing any acting of investigation. My daughter knows how to talk and can be understood. She hit my daughter on the second day of knowing her. She must be hitting other kids and some of them cannot really communicate. I need to put a stop on this. Please help. Thanks
Disabled
By: Sherri | 09-07-2008
I have not been able to recover from ptsd are peole permanetly disabled?
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