Posted on 08/16/2004 8:09:23 AM PDT by buzzyboop
MUNCY, Pa. -- Two women, two prisons, one warm and fuzzy link: Wheelchair-bound Donna Pressing has cerebral palsy and needs a service dog to help her remove a coat or pay a grocery cashier. Tamika has known little but the inside of a jail for the last decade, thanks to her role in a botched robbery that ended in gunplay and, ultimately, murder.
Each is confined in her own way, one bound by walls and the other by muscles that won't move the way they're supposed to. And each woman finds liberation through service dogs -- Pressing because the dog is her lifeline, and Tamika because she's the one training them.
(Excerpt) Read more at postgazette.com ...
I suppose this is a way for inmates to be productive. However, I can just see the movie possibilities in this...SERVICE DOGS GONE BAD!!
They do this in a prison near where we live. It's actually a good program. It seems to help not only the disabled, but the prisoners. It's almost as though working with the animals awakens something of a conscience in them. A co-worker where hubby works received one of the trained dogs from the prison for her little daughter. It's very well trained and very helpful. It's good these prisoners are finally doing something worthwhile!
Actually, the dogs are a great way to break through to many inmates. Some of the toughest, meanest lifers are softened by the love that a dog can give them. This encourages them to avoid the pitfalls of jailhouse gangs so that they can keep their dogs.
Nice for service dogs...I suppose...but I wouldnt want my protection dog trained by the people he is supposed to protect me against...
"This story is so warm, fuzzy and sweet that it makes me want to....BARF!"
Does it, now? This program and others that are similar have some great goals, and they work.
Dogs that are trained to help the disabled save us tons of money. Having prisoners do training on these dogs also saves tons of money, and trains many more dogs than can be trained by other volunteers.
What about helping folks bothers you?
- Just who and how are the inmate "volunteers" selected? That is, what are they in for? Do I want them training a service dog that I may need? I'm not sure I want one trained by Tamika, the focus on the story. The P-G does point out that Tamika is not getting out, but could others? You can train a dog to do a lot of things in a year..
- Although the program's sponsor, Canine Partners for Life appears to be reputable, what is the background of that organization's leaders and those in direct contact with the prisoners? The story mentions that the dogs selected are screened, but says nothing on how inmates are screened, or the background of the organization and its members.
Perhaps the program is good, but lots of questions remain unanswered. Liberal journalists like to impress on us that they question all types of government programs, why don't I see that here?
Why don't you email them and ask?
I agree - try watching the Animal Planet show and then see what you think. I am no fan of prisoners' rights/interminable lawsuits, etc, but the people who get the right to train these dogs really DO seem committed to their task, and I think both the dogs and the community benefit.
I saw an episode of Cell Dogs, and they had about 500 inmates apply for 8 positions in the dog training program.
They were not chosen at random, they were screened.
(The above post was meant for you too, which I will repeat)
I saw an episode of Cell Dogs, and they had about 500 inmates apply for 8 positions in the dog training program.
They were not chosen at random, they were screened
"- Although the program's sponsor, Canine Partners for Life appears to be reputable"
How about clicking the link? You could actually find out how the program works, instead of just assuming that there's something fishy here.
There's not, by the way. I've seen the documentaries on the program and it appears to be a very good one.
Assuming that all programs like this are suspicious is a fallacy. Check them out, then report on them.
"I agree - try watching the Animal Planet show and then see what you think. I am no fan of prisoners' rights/interminable lawsuits, etc, but the people who get the right to train these dogs really DO seem committed to their task, and I think both the dogs and the community benefit."
I saw that program as well. It looked to me like an excellent program that benefits the community AND the prisoners by giving both something worthwhile.
Seems to me that the suspicious reaction by some is misplaced. Perhaps they should check it out before having a knee-jerk reaction.
I did click it, always do that before I post a link to the site, as I did in my previous response. But I won't take their word for it. Funny how liberal press doesn't dig into any issues they agree with.
I do not judge books by their covers.
"Nice for service dogs...I suppose...but I wouldnt want my protection dog trained by the people he is supposed to protect me against"
A "service" dog is not trained in protection work by service dog trainers.
Protection dogs are specially trained with special equipment and special trainers. Not hardly the type of training going on here.
"I do not judge books by their covers.
"
So, on what basis did you judge this program and find it "barf-worthy?"
Animal Planet had a series on for a while called Prison dogs.
I watched it several times. Dogs have a way of humanizing even hard core cons. There is something about loving and being loved that takes some of the snake mean out of people. Plus there is the confirmation that they do have something worth while to contribute.
One of the show that I saw was the rehab of dogs with behavior problems. Many of the dogs were on their last chance with owners. Lots of dogs went back to happy owners.
Dogs have made a tremendous difference in the therapy of elderly and handicapped elderly and children.
I am significantly biased being a lab owner and lover, but I think this is tax dollars well spent, plus it makes a tremendous difference in the lives of people that get a service dog to help them.
(Posted by Daphne, LL's dog, but don't tell him-- he doesn't like me to go on the computer unsupervised.)
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