America’s largest maximum-security prison is in Angola, Louisiana. Dogs have always been here. They sniff for drugs, search for escapees and provide support to the sick and elderly. Two years ago, Major Keavin Tanner and his wife, Master Sgt. Sarah Tanner, created the Prisoners Assisting Warrior Services program (PAWS), a volunteer program that trains service dogs for veterans. The dogs train for as long as a year.
Source: New York Times, June 9, 2019. Link. “The volunteer program to train service dogs for veterans has changed the dynamic at the prison. Before PAWS, service dogs were not brought to the hospice or hospital. Now they are regular visitors. . . . The program has touched the inmate trainers. Many are taking online veterinary courses and hoping that, if and when they are released, they might find a job working with dogs.
INSIGHTS: This programs demonstrates the power of purpose that working with animals can create. Who knows? Your next employee or coworker may soon be from Louisiana. The photos alone make it worth the read.