How Shelter Dogs and Prison Inmates Are Rescuing Each Other

A non-profit organisation named New Leash On Life is a wonderful program which rescues shelter dogs and improves the lives of prison inmates at the same time. Based in the US, the prison inmates train the shelter dogs over a 12 week period at the end of which they are adopted by loving families.

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A lot of shelter dogs are so traumatised by abuse and neglect when they are found by shelters that they become aggressive with humans, unable to trust them. This type of behaviour makes it very difficult for them to be adopted and therefore hundreds are tragically euthanised each year.

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But the program New Leash On Life is here to give those rescue pups a second chance. By partnering up the shelter dogs and prison inmates, the dogs are trained to be ready for adoption and the inmates learn new employable skills.

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The American Kennel Club has a Canine Good Citizen Test shows that a dog is trained and ready to be adopted into a new home. These rescue dogs are therefore way more likely to find a lovely home after they have been trained by the inmates.

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The inmates also benefit hugely from the program. Not only do they build up an incredible bond with their canine friend, they also learn invaluable life skills which help them raise their chances of being employed when they go back into society. The unconditional love that they share with their dog helps build confidence, whilst obedience training the dog teaches them responsibility. 

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The inmates spend all day every day with their canine buddies, and they even sleep in little crates in their cell.

^{Source: @NewLeashOnLife}So far, every dog who has done the course has passed the Good Citizen test and over 30 dogs have been adopted in the past year. What's more, 90% of the inmates who took part in the program have qualified for a paid internship when they are released.What a fantastic program, improving the lives of inmates as well as pups no longer destined for the pound :)

^{Featured image: @NewLeashOnLife}

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