Prisoners and dogs. Who gains the most?

Dagger (left) and Sarge (right) are  new STAR cadets

by Cathy Collins

Behind prison walls, unknown to much of the public, dogs are being used as one of Michigan’s Department of Corrections most powerful rehabilitative tools.

For several years MDOC has partnered with numerous non-profits, animal shelters and humane societies to develop programs enlisting the help of prisoners to train dogs, and the effect on inmates is proving dramatic.

Training dogs instills patience, teaches accountability, rewards selflessness, promotes empathy and inspires self-confidence. Program participants demonstrate improvements in their sense of responsibility, goal-setting behaviors and managing their emotions, all which are core competencies critical after a prisoner’s release.

Prisoners train their charges to become service or therapy dogs or prepare them for adoption by more socialization and care.

Many prisoners had dogs while growing up, and sometimes the pet was one of the few positives in their lives. For them to be around a dog again, especially in a prison environment, takes them back to a better time and helps them cope with the realities of their current circumstances.

The unconditional love a dog offers these trainers/handlers has its effects. In helping the dogs learn and change, the prisoner/trainer gains the satisfaction of helping those in need—both people and dogs. The incarcerated are in a dark place in their lives, but some can shed light, as these special trainers do as they prepare these dogs to do good beyond their prison walls.

About the author:

Cathy Collins is a lifelong resident of Gregory. She is a former research analyst and program evaluator for MDOC (Michigan Department of Corrections) and is currently employed as a research specialist at Blue Star Service Dogs, a local non-profit that provides service dogs to veterans with PTSD and traumatic brain injury (TBI) and volunteers as a foster dog mom for a local rescue organization.