Incarcerated individuals are rigorously teaching challenging-to-adopt canines under the P.A.W.S. program, resulting in advantages for all parties involved.
At the Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility in Las Cruces, a unique and transformative program is making a significant impact. Known as P.A.W.S. (Prisoners and Animals Working toward Success), the program brings together inmates and rescue dogs, providing a platform for both parties to grow and develop.
The program, initiated by a no-kill animal shelter charity, partners with the New Mexico Corrections Department and local organizations to train dogs that are often scared or hard to place. These dogs receive care and training inside the correctional facility, with the inmates playing a crucial role in their rehabilitation.
Jaime Banegas, the current trainer for the program, hailing from WorkDogWork, stated that the program is creating something special. Banegas believes that the inmates will be more prepared for the world by being responsible for another life, and that the dogs once considered castaways are being loved and cared for.
The inmates are not only gaining vocational skills but also therapeutic benefits. They are learning grooming, dog first aid, and how to potty train the dogs. Simultaneously, the dogs are learning obedience skills and socialization, improving their chances of adoption and success in new homes.
Diana Bell, a volunteer with the Deming Animal Guardians charity, spoke about the program to the Good News Network, praising its dual benefits. She believes that the program helps inmates develop compassion and adhere to rules, while the dogs learn obedience skills and socialization.
Currently, eight inmates are caring for four dogs in the program. They have one to two sessions with a trainer each week, and live together 24 hours a day for the rest of the week. The inmates recently raised $350 by selling packaged toiletry kits, which were used to help cover some of the program's costs.
The program had to spend money hiring a trainer when it began, but the inmates' dedication and the positive impact of the program have proven its worth. The trained dogs are then made available for adoption through local adoption centers, increasing their likelihood of finding permanent homes.
This dual benefit creates a positive impact both for the incarcerated individuals and the animals in need. The inmates are reaping rewards from the program, with one inmate expressing a change in his perspective due to the program. The program's success is a testament to the power of compassion, rehabilitation, and the bond between humans and animals.
- The inmates at the Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility are caring for rescue dogs as part of the P.A.W.S. program, a unique initiative that provides care and training for hard-to-place dogs.
- Jaime Banegas, the program's trainer, believes that the inmates are preparing for the world by taking responsibility for the dogs' care and rehabilitation.
- In addition to vocational skills, the inmates are experiencing therapeutic benefits, learning grooming, dog first aid, and potty training techniques.
- Simultaneously, the dogs are learning obedience skills and socialization, improving their chances of adoption and success in new homes.
- Diana Bell, a volunteer with the Deming Animal Guardians charity, praised the program for its dual benefits, stating that it helps inmates develop compassion and adhere to rules, while the dogs learn obedience skills and socialization.
- The program's success has been so profound that it has raised $350 by selling packaged toiletry kits, which were used to cover some of the program's costs.
- The trained dogs are then made available for adoption through local adoption centers, increasing their likelihood of finding permanent homes, and underscoring the positive impact of the program on both the incarcerated individuals and the animals in need.
