Dogs and their offender handlers from Larch Corrections Center pose for a picture holding their certificates.
The Humane Society for Southwest Washington and Larch Corrections Center (LCC) celebrated their first “graduating” class of foster dogs and offender dog handlers.
The Larch Pet Training Camp was created so that people, cats, and now dogs, along with offenders can have a second chance.
For this camp, five dogs in the shelter were identified as needing help with basic family manners. Each dog was paired with two offender dog handlers tasked with training and socialization. The dogs arrived at LCC in the last week of August and within in a few short weeks all of the dogs were leash trained, knew basic canine commands and are now ready for adoption.
Following the graduation one dog has already found a new home and the others have “matchmaking” meetings with prospective adopters in the next few days.
“The Humane Society is all about second chances for stray animals,” said Stacey Graham, HSSW president. “Now together, dogs and their inmate dog handlers are getting a second chance. We are so proud of the staff, volunteers and handlers for coming together as a team and helping these dogs get ready for their new families.”
Before the dogs arrived at LCC the offender handlers began getting trained and educated several weeks in advance. The foundation for the program is teaching leadership and cooperation, as well as specific dog handling skills. Several of the handlers went beyond the HSSW training, reading books about both dog training and behavior to enhance their skills. At the graduation ceremony, each offender handler shared stories about his foster dog and about the impact this experience had on his own life.
“This is a way to give back from inside of here,” on handler said.
“It’s a chance to make the world a better place, one dog at a time,” said another.
Larch Corrections Center Superintendent Lisa Oliver-Estes touts the effectiveness of such programs in prison populations after watching the program at the Washington State Penitentiary.
“An offender with severe anxiety and depression issues over his life sentence was able to transform through the dog program,” she said. “By the end of his first rotation as a dog handler, he was off of his medications, more communicative with staff and offenders, and managing his time in a positive fashion. He was healed by the dogs he cared for and trained and, in turn, gave these pups another opportunity to be loved by a family in the community. You can’t put a price on that.”
Oliver-Estes said at Larch Corrections Center, the offenders are within four years of release.
In experiencing this connection, offenders are more apt to transfer the positive skills learned through this program to aid in the reunification with their families and their communities. As the graduated dogs are now back at HSSW, a new group of dogs will be headed to LCC to meet their handlers and start the learning process again.
“The dogs grow to love and trust their handlers unconditionally. This is sometimes the first time these men have ever felt that type of connection. It’s a win-win,” she said.
