Inmates help prepare dogs for adoption

MITCHELLS, Va. (AP) - Coffeewood Correctional Center's newest community-based program has gone to the dogs and so far, organizers say it's been a howling success.

About a half-dozen inmates at the state-run correctional facility have taken on the role of dog mentor. The dogs, from the Orange County Animal Shelter, are paired with the trainers and taught basic behavioral and socialization skills that will hopefully help them find good homes.

"These handlers are showing people the potential that these dogs have to be amazing dogs if you just spend a little time and show some compassion and some patience with them," said Orange County Animal Shelter director Beth Hamilton.

The program officially began last month. So far, seven dogs have been enrolled and one of them, an eight-year-old border collie, found a new home after just three weeks of one-on-one training Hamilton said.

She said the cost to the shelter and the prison is minimal. The animal shelter provides the dogs' food, health care and supplies, while the inmates handle the training and daily care. Hamilton and assistant warden Bobby Hickman said everyone takes immense pride in their work.

"It's sort of a very therapeutic thing for not only the offenders but the staff to have an animal present in here," Hickman said. "They put a lot into it and spend a lot of time on it." Charles Seale, a counselor who assists the other leaders in coordinating the program, agreed.

For the inmates, "It gives them something to worry about besides themselves," Seale said. "I think it gives them a sense of responsibility -- they're very proud."

One of the trainers, inmate Charles Shank, said he's seen the transformation first-hand with Norma, a five-year-old beagle mix.

"She was really, really shy when we got her," Shank said. "Tail tucked, very afraid of everybody. We're working on her people skills, just trying to get her to where she's not as afraid of everything. It was obvious she had been in an abusive situation.

"In the last week, she's really started to come around," Shank continued. Before, "She didn't know her name, how to sit, stay -- anything."

And now, about two weeks later, while there's still work to do, Norma has transformed from shy and fearful to happy and healthy. Hamilton said Norma is another example of the program's success.

"You can really see that in the condition of the animals," Hamilton said. "They come in and they might not look so great and just after a week or so, their coats are glossy, they're brushed, they've been bathed -- you can tell their demeanor is more relaxed and the dogs are happier. It really shows."

Inmates must undergo training themselves or have prior experience in another animal program to become a dog trainer. Hickman said Coffeewood has hosted dog programs previously, but this is the first time the prison has joined forces with Orange County. He said other state correctional facilities operate similar programs.

For now, due to space constraints, there are no plans to expand the program. And Hamilton and Hickman said that's OK, since one of the elements to its success appears to be the small size and one-on-one care, which is intended to make the dogs more appealing to potential new families.

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Information from: Culpeper Star-Exponent, http://www.starexponent.com