San Quentin inmates help train puppies to become service animals
SAN QUENTIN STATE PRISON -- A new training program at San Quentin State Prison has inmates training puppies to eventually become service dogs.
"It's an opportunity for the institution and the population to give back to the public," said Acting Chief Deputy Warden Landon Bravo.
The prison is partnering with the non-profit, Canine Companions, for the program.
After a rigorous selection and vetting process, four inmates were selected to raise and train two puppies that will go on to become service dogs for people with disabilities. The inmates chosen for the program live in the Donner ELU, which is an earned housing unit at San Quentin comprised of inmates who have not faced disciplinary action for one to two years.
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"They will be accredited service dogs," said Canine Companions CEO Paige Mazzoni. "They are paired with people with disabilities. Adults, children, veterans, people with hearing loss, over 65 disabilities. We place them free of charge and we follow up for life. They really change a lot of lives."
The puppies will live at the prison for around 18 months with the inmate handlers. Their time at San Quentin will include weekly classes at the prison with professional trainers from Canine Companions. The puppies will also be taken out of the prison periodically for socialization breaks.
"This dog is supposed work and bring somebody great joy. We have to train this dog the right way so he can accomplish that," said Aaron Ramzy, one of the four inmate puppy raisers.
While the program is new to San Quentin, Canine Companions has run this program in numerous prisons across the country. Mazzoni says it has shown to benefit both the animals and the inmates involved.
"Every single part of the process is being benefitted by the other parts of the process," she said. "The prison programs have a 10% higher success rate getting the dogs all the way to being service dogs than the rest of our population. Also, the recidivism of the prisoners is less than 5% from our program, which is pretty phenomenal."
Lt. Guim'Mara, a spokesperson for San Quentin, believes the program will be a valuable rehabilitation tool for both the inmates directly involved with the program, as well as for those who get to see and interact with the dogs.
"I spoke to some of the handlers and they've expressed not having any physical connection with animals in 2-3 decades," she said. "They're going to be our neighbors one day, and it starts with being able to communicate. I hope we can provide them with as many employable resources as we absolutely and possibly can so that when they reintegrate back into society, they are great citizens."
Ramzy believes it will make a difference, too.
"That makes you want to do better. It gives you something to work harder for," he said. "I'm not trying to do this for likes or anything to curb my sentence. I'm just really trying to help people and help myself."
