Why do we love our pets so much? Is it the unbridled joy they have when they see us? The cute way they react when they’re fed? Is it how they can be a source of comfort, or how they like to cuddle on a cold day? Maybe it’s how they need us, how we look after them and make them a priority. Pets and humans need love, and it’s through this mutually beneficial relationship that both human and animal get to have what they need.
In this new approach to rehabilitation, two problems are being solved at once. The program is called TAILS (Teaching Animals and Inmates Life Skills) and it’s demonstrating the powerful impact of animals while arguably saving two lives at the same time.
In Palatka, Florida, the Florida Department of Corrections-approved TAILS program is making waves across six different facilities around the state. These at-risk dogs, who would have otherwise been euthanized or who were rescued from abusive and hoarding environments and sometimes illegal dog-fighting, are getting a second chance at life. They are considered “hard-to-adopt” and are specifically chosen for this program.
The screening process is very strict for both the prisoner and the dogs. Prisoners who have been charged with violence or animal-related crimes are not eligible. Furthermore, prisoners who exhibit good behavior while incarcerated are favored for the program as this initiative is seen as a kind of reward–a new furry friend to play with. For the dogs, they are taken in for observation by a canine aggression and behavior expert before they can be admitted into the program.
Jen Deane is the executive director of TAILS and Pit Sisters, an organization that takes in dogs from city shelters to find them a more permanent solution. “We take the dogs that need us the most,” Deane comments and adds that for the duration of the program, the pups live at the correctional facilities, in crates next to their trainers, in dorms with several inmates. “It’s amazing to be able to witness.”
For each pup, there are two inmates assigned, along with a handler and a trainer. The moment the prisoners meet the dogs, there’s usually an immediate bond. Both the inmates and dogs come from a shaky, broken background so there’s a common ground between them. The idea is to teach inmates how to express positive emotions before their re-entry into society, and apparently, the transformations so far have been incredible.
Click below to see more of the initiative that’s changing lives.
