Four dogs from the Animal Rescue League (ARL) of Iowa are living with prison inmates at the Clarinda Correctional Facility as part of a program that will ultimately benefit veterans.
The program was launched on May 11 and involves inmates who train the dogs, so they can eventually become well-mannered pets for veterans. The A-R-L’s Mick McAuliffe says the dogs will live with the offenders, in their cell, for six weeks.
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Eight prisoners were selected for the program — four are primary handlers and four are backup handlers. McAuliffe says the dogs are not aggressive, but do need some intense training.
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McAuliffe says the ARL has seen the benefit of having offenders work with animals through previous partnerships with the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women in Mitchellville and the North Central Correctional Facility in Rockwell City. The program is funded entirely by private donations.