[NAGDU] Puppies Behind Bars - New Yorker

d m gina dmgina at mysero.net
Wed Nov 29 19:40:22 UTC 2017 

I would love that option I am sure they would like to see how the dog 
is growing into the dog size?
I tell you, my dog would be a really swell greeter at wallmart if I let 
her stay and do her dog job there she thinks.
I am praying hard as she turns four some of this will settle down.
It can be a really bad problem at times when you give a command and 
greeting someone is what comes first.
This is where the gentle leader plays a strong roll.
I still have to watch curbs because of the excitement of going in a 
car, wanting to sniff the person, or sniff the car to see if there had 
been any other dogs before her.
So much I would love to learn.
I was told they have no clue on behalf of the dogs background.
I don't believe that for one minute.

Original message:
> I find it interesting that people who do not want others stereotyping 
> or ascribing values, etc. to them would reject a dog raised in a prison 
> environment based on stereotypes of prisoners.

> I can’t speak for all prison programs, and they all are not alike, 
> having varying levels of support from the parent schools, but at 
> GDF/AVD, the program has very strict enrollment requirements. Prisoners 
> must have a certain status, i.e., having no disciplinary issues, etc., 
> for a prescribed time. Certain types of crimes, pedifelia, animal 
> abuse, etc., are prohibited. Many of the people who have gone into the 
> puppy programs have committed crimes, yes, and not always white-collar 
> type crimes, but they *must* have a clean record in prison in order to 
> participate.

> What prisoners provide is constant attention to the puppy. They have 
> more time to devote to honing skills and obedience. In the case of 
> service dogs, they channel that time into teaching the rudimentary 
> service dog tasks, like retrieve.

> when you think about exposure, what do you think of? Stores, malls, 
> etc.? Most programs, and all of the guide dog ones I know of, have 
> weekend raiser programs to take the puppy to such places, give it 
> freedom in a home setting and expose it to other pets. Prisons are 
> small cities unto themselves though. There are cafeterias, offices, 
> heavy industry areas where the puppy can be exposed to sounds of trucks, etc.

> When I talked with prisoners at both Bedford Hills and Fishkill prisons 
> in the ’90’s, I was struck by how for many of them, the puppy was the 
> first unconditional love they’d experienced. The prisoners I’ve 
> personally talked with and those in our current program would probably 
> do serious harm to anyone  who harmed their puppies. They are fiercely 
> committed to making the pup successful and very proud when they are 
> able to talk, via Skype, with the handler. that’s not a requirement if 
> you’re not comfortable but it’s an option.
>> On Nov 27, 2017, at 10:25 AM, Tara Briggs via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:

>> So what should happen to people in prison system? I ask this because 
>> the majority of them will be released into society. Here’s a 
>> hypothetical situation but I’m curious what you always think of it. 
>> Will call him George, and he is in prison. George is in prison because 
>> he started using marijuana. He started using marijuana at a young age. 
>> He had chronic pain from say a farming accident. In order to support 
>> his chronic pain, George became a drug dealer. He sold marijuana to 
>> other people. Some used recreationally and others use it for chronic 
>> pain or epilepsy. Eventually George’s crimes caught up with him and he 
>> is now in prison. Well in prison George becomes a puppy raiser. 
>> Eventually George is released. FaceTime in prison has given him a deep 
>> love of dogs and a deep love of what they can do for people. George is 
>> now out of prison. He has discovered in himself a lot of animals in 
>> love teaching. He is working to rebuild his life and his goal is to be 
>> an instructor for one of the guide dog schools. Should George be able 
>> to accomplish the stream? I would love to hear everyone’s thoughts on 
>> my hypothetical situation. But I would respectfully point out this is 
>> actually based on the true situation of a gentleman who is a paraplegic 
>> in prison.

>> Michael  Pelletier. You can Google him if you want to hear his full 
>> story. On the other hand I do see what you mean. There are certain 
>> people that I would not want training my dog. I wouldn’t want someone 
>> who was in prison for abusing animals training my dog. I wouldn’t want 
>> someone who was in prison for rape or pedophilia training my dog. 
>> Anyway I look forward to this further discussion.
>> Tara
>> Sent from my iPhone

>>> On Nov 27, 2017, at 8:04 AM, S L Johnson via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org 
>>> <mailto:nagdu at nfbnet.org>> wrote:

>>> Hi Sherry:

>>> I agree with you.  When I was asked by a school if I would accept a dog
>>> raised in a prison I told the trainer absolutely no!  If it was the best
>>> guide dog that ever was, I would not accept a prison raised dog.  I cannot
>>> imagine my sweet golden girl raised by a criminal,  what an awful thought.
>>> Just the thought of these innocent puppies raised by a criminal is
>>> disgusting and unacceptable to me.  The thinking these days is to rehab
>>> prisoners but to me all it is a way for them to get free educations, time
>>> off for completing their education and raising puppies is a privilege.  If
>>> they had not committed a crime they could go to school or get any job
>>> including working with dogs.  However, I think the guide and service dog
>>> schools should not allow these precious puppies near this criminals.  They
>>> need to place the puppies in safe loving homes not in a prison!  I cannot
>>> believe that the schools find themselves so desperate that they resort to
>>> allowing criminals near these puppies.  Shame on you guide and service dog
>>> schools! Please,  please think of the safety of your puppies!  I know both
>>> of us will get angry messages from the monitor of the list as well as other
>>> list members but this is a free country with freedom of speech so you and I
>>> are entitled to our opinion on this subject.

>>> Sandra Johnson and precious golden Eva
>>> SLJohnson25 at comcast.net

>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Sherry Gomes via NAGDU
>>> Sent: Sunday, November 26, 2017 10:11 PM
>>> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
>>> Cc: Sherry Gomes
>>> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Puppies Behind Bars - New Yorker

>>> I took one of my dogs to prison with my church choir a long long time ago.
>>> We went to a minimum security prison. The guys were very happy to see my
>>> dog. Another time, I went with my cousin to see her ex-husband, who was in
>>> San Quentin for drug charges. We met in a big room with lots of prisoners
>>> and their guests, and one woman asked if her husband could say hi to my dog.
>>> He was a lifer and had already been there 15 years so hadn't seen a dog in a
>>> very long time. He cried and cried when he petted my dog. Having said all
>>> that, I would not want a dog raised in prison. I knew a woman who had one,
>>> and the dog was fabulous. But years ago, I read the book small Miracles by
>>> ann Rule. Near the end, she mentioned that on one of her visits to Diane
>>> Downs for interviews, Downs was raising a puppy to be a service dog. Downs
>>> never showed any remorse about murdering one of her children and trying to
>>> murder all three. So I felt she had no right to the privilege of raising a
>>> dog. If GDB ever started having their dogs raised in prison, I'd tell them I
>>> definitely do not want one of those dogs. It might be a dumb attitude, but
>>> the idea that people like Diane Downs, or anyone like her,  could raise a
>>> dog I might get is terrible to me.


>>> Sherry


>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Cindy Ray via
>>> NAGDU
>>> Sent: Sunday, November 26, 2017 6:45 PM
>>> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>> Cc: Cindy Ray <cindyray at gmail.com>
>>> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Puppies Behind Bars - New Yorker

>>> One of the prisons here in Iowa used to work with dogs as did the women's
>>> prison, but I can't remember if they were training them for a program. I
>>> t got too crowded for them to have a good facility. When I went to the
>>> women's prison once to participate in the church service there, several
>>> looked longingly at Fisher and said, "awe", but they had been instructed not
>>> to mess with him. I was sort of sorry they had been.
>>> Cindy Lou Ray
>>> cindyray at gmail.com


>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Shari Cook via
>>> NAGDU
>>> Sent: Sunday, November 26, 2017 5:41 PM
>>> To: David via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>> Cc: Shari Cook <kalilee at yahoo.com>
>>> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Puppies Behind Bars - New Yorker

>>> America's VetDogs (a sister organization to the Guide Dog Foundation for
>>> the Blind in Smithtown, NY) has puppy raisers in prison - they are
>>> imprisoned veterans that raise pups specifically for other veterans to
>>> provide them with enhanced mobility and renewed independence.  As with GDF,
>>> there is no cost to get a pup.  The dogs spend their weekdays being trained
>>> by honor prisoners and go to a family on weekends for social exposure.  The
>>> pups typically stay at the prison for 12 to 18 months, then go off to "puppy
>>> college" for their specific formal training which lasts approximately 4
>>> months.  I raise puppies for GDF and we often cross train with the VetDogs
>>> program.  It's amazing to see what these animals can do, from finding the
>>> button to open a handicapped entrance, to pushing an elevator button, or
>>> opening and closing doors, pulling laundry baskets, waking a veteran that's
>>> having flashbacks, to just being a general companion and getting the veteran
>>> to be comfortable in the public again.  If anyone needs more information on
>>> the VetDogs program, their website is America's VetDogs | Home

>>> |
>>> |
>>> |  |
>>> America's VetDogs | Home


>>> |

>>> |

>>> |




>>>   On Sunday, November 26, 2017, 5:14:49 PM EST, David via NAGDU
>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:

>>> Cross-posted

>>> https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/11/27/puppies-behind-bars-with-glenn
>>> -close

>>> --
>>> *David and Claire Rose in Clearwater, FL*
>>> *david at bakerinet.com*


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