After the ceremony, we were able to talk with the offender-handlers about their puppies and their participation in the program. All the young men I talked with said they felt fortunatate to have been accepted as trainers as only 24 out of approximately 1800 prisoners are selected.
Each puppy has two handlers and shares a cell with them 24 - 7. The puppies are trained over a three to ten week period, depending on the problems the dog has when it enters the program. The St. Joseph Animal Shelter selects animals that have severe behavior or physical problems but that show potential to be a good pet.
One of the puppies at the ceremony was a huge, pure-bred Golden Retriever had been brought to the shelter by a family who couldn't care for him. He had been chained outside and had little interaction with humans. Now he is ready for a loving home. During the speeches, he stretched out on the floor real comfy, unfazed by the applause that set several of the other dogs to barking.
