ABOUT A NEW LEASH ON LIFE

DOGS BEHIND BARS has been in progress since 1981.  This program was started by Sister Pauline Quinn in 1981 in Washington State with dogs trained by inmates for the disabled.  Since 1981 it has spread across the country from Washington State to Florida.

Presently in North Carolina, we have A New Leash on Life Pilot Programs in operation since 2004 in  Marion, Black Mountain, Vanceboro, Tillery, Elizabethtown, Mt. Pleasants and NOW IN GUILFORD COUNTY.

After working on a dogs in prison program for 3 years, SPCA of the Triad in Partnership with the Guilford Correction Center (which sits on a 5 acre site) in McLeansville, N. C. put our first 3 dogs behind bars in the Mcleansville Correction Unit in A NEW LEASH ON LIFE PROGRAM on March 1, 2006 at 10:00AM.  Unlike many of the inmates at the McLeansville unit, our dogs will only stay in the prison unit behind bars for 8 weeks.

During their eight weeks stay, they will live with  the carefully selected inmates who will train and prepare these dogs for adoption into forever loving homes.  These are unwanted, abandoned or surrendered dogs who would otherwise remain throughout their lives in foster homes or be euthanized.

A NEW LEASH ON LIFE is a NC state program that allows minimum and medium custody prisoners in North Carolina prisons to partner with local animal welfare agencies or animal shelters to train dogs in preparation for their adoptions.  It gives inmates an opportunity to serve our community by providing basic training for adoptable rescue dogs.

Dogs selected for the program are carefully screened and selected for the New Leash on Life Program by SPCA Foster Program Director, Jenny Edwards.

Lisa works with the dogs that come into our adoption program from their first day,  throughout their medical care, spay or neuter, training, selection of foster parents, screening and selecting adoption applicants and finally taking the animals to their new homes.   

Training for our program, A New Leash on Life, is conducted by Amy Clear, a certified Behavior Therapist/Trainer for dogs. Amy’s company is  BARK BUSTER OF THE TRIAD. 

Classroom instruction is presented in classroom sessions on site at the McLeansville unit by Amy to the Inmate/Trainers  2-3 times weekly.   After formal instruction, Amy accompanies the inmate/trainers with dogs to our outside fenced ball field or our walking trail with dogs on leash to practice exercises.  Inmates continue training throughout the day each day.

Amy volunteers her time for animal related humane work such as New Leash on Life while conducting her own private business, Bark Busters of the Triad (a home dog training service). Amy's email address is triadnc@barkbusters.com

Prison Inmate/Trainers are also carefully selected and must meet strict criteria requirement to be a part of this state regulated program.

Policy and guidelines for the New Leash on Life Program are set by the State of North Carolina Department of Correction.

On a local level, inmate/trainers are selected by the local Prison Program Director and supervisory personnel and must be accepted as an Inmate/Trainer in accordance with guidelines set for the program by the State of NC. 

The Program is monitored and coordinate at a state level by a Division Program Coordinator.

The McLeansville unit is under the responsibility of:

1)     the Guilford Correctional Center Superintendent

2)     the Facility Primary Program Coordinator

3)     the Facility Secondary Program Coordinator

A New Leash on Life Program allows the inmate to give something back to the community, build self-esteem and the dog a great opportunity to be adopted as companion animal in a permanent home. 

A doctoral research study done on over 300 youths that participated in “Project Pooch” a sister program to “A New Leash on Life” showed a ZERO RECIDIVISM RATE and 150 dogs placed in loving homes.  Dr. Sandra Merriam-Anudrini Doctoral Research.  http.//www.deltasociety.org/ppart0106.htm.

Dogs are assigned a primary and a secondary trainer. The inmate/trainers job starts at 6:00am each day and ends around 10:30pm when they put their dogs to bed.  They are responsible for complete care of  this dog for eight weeks until graduation day.

GRADUATION DAY.  This is truly an emotional high for everyone and you are invited.  Graduation will be the last part of April 2006.  Please request and invitation with complete mailing information on this website or www.triadspca.org

On graduation day, dogs are presented to families who are prescreened and selected by Lisa Crosby, SPCA Foster Program Director.  The families who are pre-approved for adoption will receive their new family member, their dog on graduation day.  The Inmate/Trainer will formally hand over the dog to its new owner during the ceremony. 

The inmate/trainer will also receive his new dog and the rotation begins again.