A pilot program ‘Pups in Prison’ started by Assistance Dogs Australia at Kirkconell Correctional Centre near Bathurst is now successfully running at the Junee Correctional Centre.
Assistance Dogs Australia’s Top Dog, Richard Lord said: “The Pups in Prison program began as a way for Assistance Dogs Australia to train more dogs to help people with physical disabilities, while helping offenders serving sentences in corrective centres along the way”.
“The aim of the program is to reduce re-offending behaviour by giving offenders skills to assist in their own rehabilitation,” he said.
The Pups in Prison program at the Junee Correctional Centre started a couple of years ago and currently has four dogs in training to assist people with disabilities in wheelchairs.
This is the third group to receive training at the Junee Correctional Centre.
The dogs are with their handlers all day and also sleep in dog beds in the cells during the cold winter nights.
The Pups in Prison Program is not only changing the lives of the recipients but is also making a huge difference to the attitudes and lives of inmates.
Two inmates from Junee Jail ‘Thomo’ and ‘Manna’ who have been in prison for the past 14 years said that it had helped them with their anger management and their priorities in the jail.
“I really enjoy being involved in the program as it gives me a sense of accomplishment and the dogs are great company,” Manna said.
“It has really made a difference in my life as it has made me think of someone else besides myself, the dog (Jessie) is my first priority now.
“If we are in any sort of trouble we know we are pulled out of the program straight away, so we are conscious of this and behave accordingly,” he said.
Thomo, who has been involved in the program for 12 months, said he has witnessed first hand the way in which it has changed inmate’s attitudes.
“I have seen the benefits this program has played in relation to violence in our jail.
“Some of the inmates before being involved in this program were very angry and looking for trouble, but since being involved in the program their attitudes have changed and they become more ‘human like’ and are just concerned for the welfare of the dogs,” he said.
Ruth Stockton is the regional coordinator and runs the training days for the Pups in Prison program in Junee.
“We have a big list of recipients waiting for assistance dogs and I feel this program is a great help for people with disabilities.
“The dogs go through rigorous training with their handlers. I am at the prison every Wednesday and the dogs and inmates are taken out in the shire of Junee to introduce the dogs to outside interference and distractions,” Ms Stockton said.
The training includes all elements to assist their recipients including learning to push panic buttons, retrieve bottles from the fridge and bark to alert their owners.
“The dogs have to be trained and prepared for any situation,” Ms Stockton said.
“The biggest obstacle is finding puppy raisers to raise the assistance dogs to 15 months of age.
“We are always looking for volunteer puppy raisers around the Wagga area, who are willing to attend training once a week.
“Everything is supplied for the raisers including food and veterinary care,” she said.
If you are interested in becoming involved in the pups in prison by becoming a raiser, you can contact Ruth Stockton on: (02) 6922 7866.
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