Kids for Canines

About the Program

Category: Children and Youth (Best in Category)

Year: 2012

The San Juan County Juvenile Facility developed a pilot program in which incarcerated youth train dogs from the local animal shelter. The program functions solely on volunteers who are self-proclaimed dog lovers from the community and facility staff along with those juveniles who are incarcerated. This program began in November 2010 and to date has "graduated" a total of eleven dogs to good homes. The juveniles, ranging in age from 15-18, work with two dogs in a 12-week program that benefits all parties concerned. For the kids and the dogs, it is an exercise in trust, obedience, responsiblity, patience, empathy, and above unconditional love. These are characteristics the juveniles and the dogs struggled with prior to the program. The juveniles take pride in saving the lives of many dogs and they believe they are both given a second chance because the dogs bring "comfort and joy to our everyday life". The outcomes of this program are priceless. Juveniles have learned empathy for others, reduced their aggression, been taught job skills and improved their socilalization and communication skills in therapy sessions. The dogs accompany the juvenile in family sessions which allows the opportunity for all parties to relax and feel at ease when discussng very serious issues. Probably the most difficult part of the program is the kids do not like it when it is time to watch the dogs leave. Overall the program is a win/win situation. The County and Animal Shelter have a Memorandum of Understanding that is at no cost to the County. All of the supplies, kennels, dog houses, etc., were donated by the local Humane Society. More importantly, the juveniles have been given the opportunity to care for and train dogs that migh have otherwise perished in a shelter setting. Besides adoption, some dogs will develop skills to work with the disabled, act as mental health dogs for veterans with PTSD, and sniff out explosive devices in community and combat zones. Mission Statement: To give incarcerated youth and shelter dogs each a second chance by creating a partnership through learning empathy, responsiblity and compassion.