Prison Journalism: Inside This prison, dogs are professorsCalifornia's Paws For Life K9 Rescue program helps incarcerated people learn valuable lessons from the pups they train.
by Prison Journalism Project
26-09-2023 17:46
in Prison Journalism
Prison journalism
Image: Gili Pup/Pexels
Funk legend George Clinton's Atomic Dog echoed through 15-inch, 300-watt Behringer speakers and into the exercise yard, its trumpets announcing the arrival of royalty: The first rescue dog in a maximum security prison.
--
Inside the California prison system, Paws For Life K9 Rescue has used incarcerated people to train service dogs for first responders and for veterans who've suffered job-related trauma. We call the dogs professors because they offer valuable lessons to its trainers.
The professor's Watching Professor Bishop ignore everything except his playmates got me thinking about how often I get distracted when joy dances before me.
Professor Oscar's gift was love. I was the most important person in the world to him. He wrapped me in a blanket of unconditional friendship. I'm here for you, buddy, he seemed to say. Both professors taught mindfulness.
--
Professor Knuckles, a 120-pound pit bull mix whose size and appearance would give an MMA fighter pause, was aggressive as an angry butterfly. Nervous reactions to this professor showed how perception can cloud the lens. His gregarious nature made him the perfect candidate to visit patients in the prison's hospice ward, where they adored him. Pain can evaporate, if only temporarily, in the company of dogs.
When they're by our sides, dogs offer instruction for improving emotional intelligence and evaluating how we see each other. One team member, inspired by empathy for his dog's scars, shared how he, too, was abused. Tears streamed down his face. He accepted a hug from a man whose hand he might not have even shaken before.
We have learned that looks and breeds are poor indicators of a dog's social skills or suitability for placement with a family. Researchers have found that pit bulls in particular score high on human sociability. Like people, dogs of all breeds flourish when they feel safe and loved.
--
A freak accident in prison left me paralyzed. But my paralysis did not happen immediately: what's called spinal shock wore off, muscle atrophy kicked in, and soon I was confined to a wheelchair. But Professor Oscar has not allowed my pain to keep me down. I'm not alone: Emergency room patients report less pain and anxiety after 10 minutes with a dog, one study has shown.
The lessons the dogs provide are enduring. In return, our professors seek only food, water and lots of love. We can all afford that tuition.
ALSO READ: Prison journalism: Free Mind
ALSO READ: Prison journalism: Life behind bars: Tale of resilience and unexpected bonds
ALSO READ: Prison journalism: From maximum to redemption: A journey of change and reflection
Disclaimer: The views in this article are those of the author. Prison Journalism Project has verified the writer's identity and basic facts such as the names of institutions mentioned.
Written by Richard Fontes for The Prison Journalism Project
Should you wish to assist in the rehabilitation of former inmates and help put money into the pockets of those who have struggled to earn a living during and after incarceration, click HERE
Do you have any question you would like to ask our prison journalists, WhatsApp us on 060 011 0211
Do you have contact with a prison inmate who would like to write for The South African website?
If so, send an email to info@thesouthafrican.com or a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211
You can also follow @TheSAnews on Twitter and The South African on Facebook to get the latest prisoner journalism articles.
Is jy Afrikaans? Kliek hier vir nuus in jou taal!
Africa Stories
26/03/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC), has been tasked with administering the Sixth Presi...
24/03/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) invites eligible Tier 1 and 2 South African production companies to submit proposals to serve as the Facilitating ...
15/03/2026
Johannesburg, 14 March 2026 - On 13 and 14 March 2026, the 19th Annual South Afr...
12/03/2026
Johannesburg, 11 March 2026 - The 19th Annual South African Film and Television ...
03/03/2026
Click here for isiXhosa version.
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) invites aspiring and emerging filmmakers from Matatiele and surrounding areas to...
17/02/2026
Johannesburg, 17 February 2026 - The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), ...
09/02/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sport, Arts, and Culture and custodian of the SAFTAs, is calling on all South Afri...
09/02/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
09/02/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce that the call for training provider submissions is open. This funding aims to award grants ...
06/02/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
04/02/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) invites final-year animation students to participate in an exclusive creative showcase at the Annecy International...
02/02/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), in partnership with the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS), is calling for applications from experienced Sou...
29/01/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), in collaboration with a distribut...
28/01/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), in partnership with the Oudtshoorn Municipality, invites aspiring and emerging filmmakers to apply for the Sediba...
20/01/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
07/01/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), in collaboration with a distributor, is commissioning new micro-budget fiction feature films and invites eligible...
31/10/2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
30 October 2025
It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of Segomotso Keorapetse, an award- winning South African television d...
29/10/2025
It's not the wonders of the world that make a place; it's the people. As...
07/10/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
02/10/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce the opening...
30/09/2025
Johannesburg, South Africa, 29 September 2025: The National Film and Video Found...
26/09/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation, an agency of the Department of Sport, Ar...
26/09/2025
https://www.nfvf.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/fully-Inclusive-nfvf-invitatio...
29/08/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
27/08/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
25/08/2025
Theme: One Story. One Industry. One Future. - Celebrating South Africa's Screen Legacy, Together
Johannesburg - The National Film and Video Foundation (N...
04/08/2025
S o Paulo Film and Audiovisual Company (Spcine) and the National Film and Video ...
15/07/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
28/06/2025
Johannesburg, 27 June 2025 - As the nation commemorates Youth Month
2025, the N...
24/06/2025
Panels of the National Film and Video Foundation in Accordance with the NFVF Act...
13/06/2025
Johannesburg, 12 June 2025 - The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an a...
11/06/2025
Johannesburg, South Africa - 10 June 2025 - The National Film and Video Foundati...
10/06/2025
Johannesburg, South Africa - 10 June 2025 - The National Film and Video Foundati...
06/06/2025
S o Paulo Film and Audiovisual Company (Spcine) and the National Film and Video ...
05/06/2025
Johannesburg, South Africa 4 June 2025 - The National Film and Video Foundatio...
29/05/2025
Rest in Power, a True Legend of Our Screens
Johannesburg, South Africa 27 May...
29/05/2025
Johannesburg, South Africa 28 May 2025 - The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Vincent Blennies, has resigned from...
22/05/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
13/05/2025
The NFVF, an agency of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture that was create...
10/05/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
09/05/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
09/04/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce that the ca...
08/04/2025
We are pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Vincent Blennies as Chief Exec...
04/04/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) invites final-year animation students to submit character designs inspired by lead characters from any South Afric...
14/03/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce that the ca...
01/03/2025
Antis pticos Orales: Revisi n De La Literatura Y Perspectiva Actual Influenza son contradictorios, dadas las elevadas tasas de curaci n espont nea. De ser neces...
28/02/2025
The Future of Green Energy: Challenges and Prospects Green energy, also known as renewable energy, has emerged as a critical solution to global energy challenge...
Prison Journalism: Inside This prison, dogs are professorsCalifornia's Paws For Life K9 Rescue program helps incarcerated people learn valuable lessons from the pups they train.
