By C1 Staff
CRANSTON – The Rhode Island Department of Correction’s inmate rehabilitation program that helps dogs find new homes is celebrating its 10th anniversary.
The ‘Prison PUP’ program has prison inmates train dogs to assist deaf and disabled people, according to WPRI.
A trainer from the National Education for Assistance Dog Services (NEADS) visits the John J. Moran Medium Security Facility each week to track the progress of the dogs’ training, which includes basic obedience and more complex skills.
During the 10th anniversary celebration, several inmates presented their dogs’ skills in a demonstration, turning light switches on and off, opening refrigerators and grabbing telephone receivers.
Inmates working in the program have trained over 100 puppies and about 60 puppies have graduated.