‘Unadoptable’ Pets Getting Second Chance…In Prison

This is an uplifting example of a "win-win." Dogs and cats destined to be put down in county shelters are being saved by a program that pairs them with prison inmates at Allendale Correctional Institution in Fairfax, SC.

The Mutt Mates and Meow Mates program began in 2013. Inmates with clean disciplinary records can apply to be trainers for shelter dogs and cats that have been classified as 'unadoptable.' So far, more than 550 animals have been placed in the prison program. According to a WIS-TV report, around 450 of those pets were later adopted by loving families.

County animal shelters have limited space. They can accommodate only so many dogs and cats. As a result, many of the shelters near Allendale Correctional Institution have up to a 98 percent kill rate. The program with the inmates makes a real difference in the lives of the pets. But it has also had an impact on the men.

The inmates find a sense of purpose in working with dogs and cats. Instead of merely passing time in prison, they have a reason to look forward to each new day. Furthermore, inmates who participate in the program are offered a 400-hour certified grooming program from a school in the Lowcountry. Prison officials say several men have found employment as pet groomers upon their release.

Correctional facilities in other states have similar programs. The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office in Arizona pairs inmates with pets seized in investigations through the MCSO Animal Safe Hospice (MASH). The Pawsitive Change Prison Program in California appears to also be a beneficial experience for both dog and human.