Lost Dog Restorative Justice provides a positive vision
Oct 03, 2012
from the "Restorative Justice" page of the Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation:
In order to rescue more dogs from being put to sleep, we are in need of more foster homes. The Roxbury Correctional Institution (RCI) in Hagerstown, Maryland is working with the Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation to implement a Restorative Justice Program. Utilizing the prison system and appropriate inmates to serve as foster caregivers can greatly increase our capacity to rescue dogs from the threat of euthanasia.
Many of the inmates in our prison systems will be released back into the community and with this program; the inmates will learn valuable life and work skills by helping these dogs through self-sacrifice. In return, our dogs will be better suited for adoption into a loving home.
Some of our dogs come from circumstances where they are unfamiliar with living in a home or being around people while other dogs just need some manners. These types of dogs are harder to place for adoption or tend to be returned. Our dogs will receive basic social and obedience training such as house-training, socialization with people and other dogs, leash training, and crate training while in this program.
Once these dogs pass through the program, they will be available (paroled) for adoption at one of the many adoption events in Northern Virginia or Maryland.
Editor's note: Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation is a project of the Lost Dog Cafe which is my favorite eatery in Northern Virginia. It's great to see they have caught the restorative justice vision!
Document Actions
More rescue groups and more minimum security prisons should have programs like this. And more dog trainers should get involved in programs like this as a public service to the community. Victoria Stillwell has a great video about the "Jail Dogs of Gwinnett County, GA". <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UZQihb86tA" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UZQihb86tA</a>