Causes: Animal Protection & Welfare, Animal Training, Animals, Crime & Law, Inmate Support, Job Training

Mission: Friends of paws in prison educates female prison inmates for greater responsibility and empathy through the rescue and training of shelter dogs to be adopted by the public. The women who participate in PIP are given an opportunity to earn certifications that could benefit them for job opportunities after prison release. The dogs are adopted into carefully vetted loving homes and the inmates learn valuable life skills from the dogs! The question then becomes, "who is saving who?"

Results: Since it's beginning, Paws in Prison has rescued and found homes for over 500 dogs. Each dog has a minimum of 2 inmate handlers. The women in prison learn how to work together with a common goal of making these dogs adoptable. The problems associated in their prison unit are greatly reduced and they are released into society with life skills and certifications that help them find employment in the animal welfare industry. Each adopted dog represents two inmate handlers who provided loving care and training. These women rarely return back to prison. We started 2 new programs in 2021 - providing financial aid to released inmates who want to attend trade schools in the animal welfare industry and we train puppies slated to be service dog companions to military veterans.

Target demographics: Families get a trained, loving pet, female inmates learn life skills and job skills, dogs in kill shelters are saved from euthanasia, military veterans get a service dog at no charge!

Direct beneficiaries per year: abandoned dogs slated for euthanasia and incarcerated women by teaching them skills that result in certificates to help them find jobs upon release in the animal welfare industry.

Geographic areas served: The Female prison in Lockhart, Texas but the results of this program benefit all Texas communities when rehabilitated inmates return back into society.

Programs: Our training program helps prison inmates become more patient, compassionate, and responsible by teaching them positive reinforcement methods to train abused and abandoned dogs. Our dogs are rescued from local kill shelters and placed into a program with the inmates that teach them house training and basic obedience skills. We have added a new service dog training element in collaboration with another nonprofit organization.