A New Leash on Life           Triad Dogs Behind Bars

Dear Friends,

Welcome to our home page.

I am Frankie Heath, Program Director of “A New Leash on Life”.  I would like to thank you for your visit to our website.  I appreciate and value your interest in our program and invite you to join us in our work.

I believe that this program will make such a difference in our own community.  I recently read a quote by Gandhi that touched my heart. “The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated”.  In our own community, I believe that each of us has a responsibility to nurture,  protect and treat our animals well. 

In Guilford County, approximately 6,000 HEALTHY, adoptable animals are euthanized at the Guilford County Animal Shelter each year (the count does not include the sick, injured or animals that are not adoptable due to temperament) despite the tireless efforts put in by rescue people.  

I started work on a proposal “Dogs Behind Bars” dogs in prison in Guilford County in 2003 to address this dilemma and to help make a difference.  The concept of dogs in prison is not new.  The first programs started in 1981 in Washington State and spread across the country.  In 2004, the North Carolina Department of Correction started “A New Leash on Life” pilot programs.  Now these programs are in eight prisons across our state. 

On March 1st, 2006 the first Guilford county program was started.   At precisely 10:00AM on March 1st, we put Prancer (an Australian Shepherd), Tianna (a black, lab mix) and beautiful blue-eyed, blond Sheba (a Six month old husky) behind bars to be incarcerated for 8 weeks to be a participant in “A New Leash on Life”

This was one of the most rewarding days I have had in quite some time.  As one of the inmate/trainers received his dog, he knelt down beside his dog, hugged her and whispered in her ear “I asked God for you and now I have you”.

The dogs chosen to participate in the prison program are unwanted, abandoned or surrendered dogs that would otherwise live out their lives in multiple foster homes or be euthanized.  I believe that “A New Leash on Life” will create new awareness of a very old problem, save one dog at a time and offer a new unique look at solutions for the animals that desperately need our help.

"A New Leash on Life” is a North Carolina state sponsored program that allows minimum and medium custody prisoners in North Carolina prisons to partner with local animal welfare groups or animal shelters to train rescue dogs basic obedience in preparation for permanent adoption.

The inmate/trainer is responsible for total care of the dogs they are assigned from the day the dogs arrive at the prison until the inmate hands then over to their new owner on graduation day. 

The dog’s and the inmate’s day starts at 6:00AM when the inmates get their dogs up and ends when  they bed them down at 10:30Pm. The inmates and the dogs work hard, but the rewards and benefits are great for both.

The program allows the inmate to perform community service while incarcerated, build self-esteem, self discipline and confidence, and maybe learn to love and be loved UNCONDITIONALLY for the first time in their lives.

Transition back into society is much easier for those who have participated in the program.  Research on programs with inmate/trainers training rescue dogs document almost a zero recidivism rate of the prisoners participating in the programs.

Almost 100% of the dogs participating in the program are adopted into permanent homes.  .

The dogs learn trust and the inmates learn how to give and receive love as only a dog can give.  This is very contagious to the entire prison population and the staff.  In our program and the other prisons I have visited, I have constantly heard reports that prison morale is up for staff and inmates. “A New Leash on Life” gives the inmates and the dogs a  real second chance, the dogs a permanent home and the inmate a new opportunity at life.

Please visit each page and let me introduce you to the “nuts and bolts” of our program, introduce you to our partners and our own organization and tell you how you can help.

Respectfully, 

Frankie Heath

Program Director, A New Leash on Life, Guilford County

Board Member, SPCA of the Triad