In 2008, Patriot PAWS Service Dogs established a lifechanging partnership with Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Inmates within our Prison Program volunteer their time to train Patriot PAWS Service Dogs for their future handlers. Each year, we try to host at least (1) Veteran/Service Dog Graduation within the Prison as our Founder, Lori Stevens, believes it is important for the Inmates to see their hard work come to fruition. The video above is from our 2023 Spring Matching Day, held at the Boyd Unit of TDCJ in Fairfield, TX. Our Inmate Trainers truly pour their heart and soul into each Patriot PAWS dog they work with - you can see their passion for the program radiate through this performance, which was written by one of the Inmate Trainers and music accompanied by the Prison Band.
This mutually beneficial relationship as the Prison Program decreases the cost of each Patriot PAWS Service Dog by approximately $20,000, and the inmates learn a new vocation that can be utilized upon parole. Approximately 29% of Inmates who have participated within the Patriot PAWS Prison Program go on to pursue animal-related occupations and go on to become productive members of their communities. Patriot PAWS Prison Program has been immensely successful and now serves as a model for future Service Dog/ Prison Programs. To learn more about Patriot PAWS Prison Program, please visit www.patriotpaws.org.