Puppies Behind Bars!!!
For those of you who are fans of Oprah, and who isn’t, there was a great show on last week that featured guest, Glenn Close. No, she wasn’t there touting a new movie, or dishing Hollywood dirt. She was talking about a cause that is near and dear to her heart. In a video clip, Close takes us to Fishkill Correctional Facility, which is located about 80 miles north of New York City (and close to me). Here there is a new program in place, called Puppies Behind Bars, where inmates are given 8-week-old puppies and taught to train them to become service dogs for the disabled, including wounded soldiers. The puppies and prisoners are together 24 hours a day. The puppies sleep in crates in the inmates’ cells. Obviously the benefit for those who are disabled or return from war in Iraq permanently injured is phenomenal. These dogs provide a lifeline for these soldiers. But, the other benefit is that those who are being punished for their crimes are actually giving back to society in ways that they never thought possible and the inmates are thriving from it.
According to Michael, an inmate in the program who is incarcerated for robbery in the first degree, this program has meant the world to him. He says, “I’m going to make my family and those around me proud of me again. Joining this program, it helped me to give myself a sense of pride again. To know that by nurturing and raising these dogs to their fullest potential, that I could give back.” The puppies give also. They give many of these inmates something they have never had and that is unconditional love. There are some indepth clips that truly resonate the meaning of this program and I would encourage all to take a look at it. This is what wwe call a “win-win” situation!!!
Check out Glenn Close as she speaks about the program, by clicking here!
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