Justice Pups Teach Inmates New Tricks
Sun Herald
Sunday January 11, 2009
AFTER 20 minutes in blistering heat at a juvenile detention centre, one of the youngest detainees has stopped co-operating. But by the time the 22-month-old labrador puppy finishes her stint at the centre after 16 months, she will have mastered the skills needed to become an assistance dog for someone with a physical disability.
Her 20-year-old trainer - one of eight young offenders responsible for teaching two "justice pups", Frankie and Baxter, at the centre to sit, fetch and roll over on command - said trying to get a puppy to behave had taught him something, too. Patience."Sometimes they annoy you and you have to go along with it," he said. "The boys doing the program, none of them have gotten into trouble. They're looking after the dog and want this program to be successful." Assistance Dogs Australia chief executive Richard Lord said the pilot program at the Frank Baxter Juvenile Justice Centre near Gosford, started with the Department of Juvenile Justice, was a world-first in rehabilitation for young offenders.Each dog's basic training and socialisation at the centre - invaluable intensive daily training - is supplemented by weekly visits from the ADA's volunteers.Mr Lord said further positive connections with the community would be established when the detainees took the dogs out to socialise in the community.
© 2009 Sun Herald