Pups in Prison help the Community
Posted on Tuesday, 15 November 2011
Wooroloo Prison Farm is making a difference in the lives of disabled Australians, following the launch of the Pups in Prison Program on 19 October 2011.
In conjunction with the Department of Corrective Services and Assistance Dogs Australia, inmates at the farm are training dogs that can then be placed with disabled people to assist them with their day-to-day lives.
This is a new venture for Assistance Dogs Australia, who for more than five years has obtained, trained and maintained dogs in community settings to assist people with their disabilities, to give them more confidence and to help them achieve a greater level of independence.
The Assistance Dogs are fully trained to international standards and provided to recipients with physical disabilities free of charge. Each Assistance Dog costs the organisation just over $25,000, which covers the two year training period and follow up support.
Assistance Dogs are already making a dramatic difference in the quality of life for individuals with physical disabilities. Not only do they assist them physically, but also these special dogs relieve loneliness and social isolation, helping their owners integrate more with their local communities. This increase in independence allows them to get on with their lives, often attending college, getting employment or just mixing more.
There are currently 120 dogs placed all around Australia. Some 50 dogs are currently in training, many of which are pups in prison.