‘Doggie Do Good’ Creates Special Bonds At Lompoc Federal Penitentiary

LOMPOC, Calif. (KEYT) - A non-profit organization from Arroyo Grande is working with the federal penitentiary in Lompoc to teach inmates the skill of training specialized service dogs.

In a manner of speaking, “Doggie Does Good” for United States Penitentiary, Lompoc’s Cuffs And Paws program.

These dogs are being trained from puppy age for specialized service to people with disabilities such as epilepsy or diabetes.

Their trainers are inmates at United States Penitentiary, Lompoc, learning the skill while serving their sentences.

The non-profit’s goal is to make it easier for those with special needs, who can benefit from a specialized service canine, to be connected with the right dog.

Program coordinators say it can take up to 3 to 5 years for someone who needs a specially trained service dog to get one.

The dogs are carefully chosen for the program, taking breed, temperament, and intelligence into account.

Incarcerated individuals are likewise, selected through strict vetting processes to become primary trainers and live with the pups on a full-time basis.

Once these dogs graduate in a matter of a year or two, they will go to families and individuals who need them for their keen canine sensibilities.

The inmates who trained them will have the skill of service dog training on their resume once they reach their rehabilitation goals.

Program leaders say many inmates who have participated in the program go on to successfully pursue careers as specialized service dog trainers.

Participating inmates say they had never heard of this kind of program in prisons, but are glad the idea is catching on.

In recent years, similar programs have reared up in almost every state.

You can learn more about the non-profit Doggie Do Good and their service dog training programs by clicking here to visit their website.

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