My Friendly Pets

We have heard about many programs that train dogs to be therapy or service dogs. We have even heard of programs that use inmates to train these dogs as it appears to help in the rehabilitation process for the inmate. However, there is a new program that has started to train dogs to help wounded soldiers who are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. This program is unique in that the dogs are being trained by inmates, but they are military inmates. Yes, that’s right. Military inmates who are serving time in the “brig” at Camp LeJeune in North Carolina are training dogs to help wounded marines returning home from the war. While dog training programs using civilian inmates have been in existence since 1981, it is believed that this is the first dog training program at a military base. Top commanders at the base supported the idea, because the trained dogs will be given to injured marines and because they believe that the training that the inmates perform is beneficial for their personal rehabilitation. Some of the inmates in the program that were interviewed now feel that training these dogs gives their lives in military prison focus and it also allows them to give back to their country, which they feel they have disappointed.

The dogs in this program are lucky as well. Most of them were shelter dogs and one was to be euthanized on the very day he was adopted to be a training dog. The marines that train these dogs are trained by professional dog trainers. The company that provides the civilian trainers to the inmate program is known as Carolina Canines and is owned by Rick Hairston of Wilmington N.C.. He went to officials at Camp LeJuene after he had been approached by a ladies auxiliary group of a local Veterans of Foreign Wars organization. The group wanted a dog for a wounded national guardsman. Having the inmates train the dogs could provide more dogs quicker to the many soldiers who will need them, thought Hairston. The company already had a two to three year wait list for dogs as it takes about two years to properly train the dog to do all the things that an injured soldier might require. Some of the tasks that are being taught to the dogs include loading laundry into the washers and pulling it out of the dryers as well as opening the frig and pulling out a cold beer or whatever is needed by the soldier.

I think this is a great use of our military prisoners. All are winners in this program. The inmates get meaning to their lives and gain some of their self-respect that they may have lost, injured marines have a companion and helper and the dogs get love, affection and truly serve those who have served us best!!!

Check out another organization of service dogs out in California!!!