The inmates of the John Morony Correctional Complex, a low-security prison in Sydney, Australia, have had an unexpected guest under their care for the past twelve months.Since early 2016, they have been caring for a python addicted to methamphetamine.
Source: Corrective Services NSW
Australian authorities raided a methamphetamine laboratory in New South Wales and foundlarge quantities of drugs, chemical substances, cash and to their great surprise, a python, two meters in length.The reptile reacted extremely aggressively when officers tried to approach him, leading officers to believe that the animal may have been exposed to some of the dangerous drugs present in the lab and absorbed them through his skin.Shortly after the python was rescued, he was entrusted to the prisoners of John Morony Correctional Complex, who, for several years now, have been part of a slightly unconventional rehabilitation program.
Source: Corrective Services NSW
The prisoners of this low-security jail, who are serving short sentences for lesser crimes, have been caring for rescue animals saved and seized by police for 20 years.The inmates care for kangaroos, wallabies, birds and reptiles on a daily basis.The prison governor, Ivan Calder, told the BBC:
Giving the inmates the opportunity to care and take responsibility for animals is a major enabler in their rehabilitation and a major agent for behaviour change.
Source: Corrective Services NSW
Seven months after arriving at his new home, the python finally began to behave normally and managed to overcome his drug dependence thanks to the love and help of the fourteen prisoners that cared for him every day.
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