Area inmates offer new ‘leash’ on life

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March 31, 2008

By Jay Almond, News Editor The Stanly News & Press Mon Mar 31, 2008, 08:25 AM EDT

Sunday, March 30, 2008 — Not often are inmates credited with granting stays of execution, but that’s exactly what a group from Albemarle Correctional Institution (ACI) has done.

Three playful dogs owe their lives, along with their improved education and manners, to a group of six ACI inmates.

Those inmates have nearly wrapped up ACI’s inaugural New Leash on Life program session, taking the dogs through a nine-week obedience class that truly granted them a new lease on their lives.

They train in pairs with the dogs daily at the 856-inmate facility, maintaining a consistent and disciplined regimen to help the canines work toward their full potential.

But the margin for their grace was narrow.

Rambo, a 1-year-old Labrador retriever mix, nearly missed his shot at being the session’s class clown.

His smaller classmate and fellow Lab mix, 5-year-old Turner, is the most laid back of the bunch, but he might not have been able to shed a few pounds and learn some new tricks from friends.

And 1-year-old Corgi mix, Sadie, almost wasn’t jumping through hoops and sporting a bandanna.

That’s because the trio was slated to be euthanized when they were selected for the ACI training program.

“The day we got them was their last day,” said Shannon Brisson, one of Sadie’s inmate trainers.

“They are a lot different now than they were when they came in. They’ve come a long way.”

In fact, when the dogs arrived, hand-selected by Sharon Gadd and Elaine Richards of the Stanly County Humane Society, they were considered good candidates for the program.

But they were not exactly all licks and wags when they showed up for the first day of obedience school.

Of the three dogs, only Turner formerly lived in a caring home for any length of time, but after being surrendered to animal control by a family no longer able to care for him, he too was in dire straits.

Rambo, who had no fur on his back, was malnourished, with ribs showing prominently through his coat and neither he nor Sadie were the least bit interested in being near people.

That’s hardly the case now though. All three spayed and neutered animals are up to date on their shots, fed and exercised regularly, remarkably obedient and, above all, loving companions.

Now that they sit, stay, heel, place, roll over and more, they will all three be the focus of an obedience class graduation at the facility at 10 a.m. Thursday and are available for adoption.

Strides the animals made speak volumes about the efforts of the inmate trainers.

“These dogs made huge changes because of what these guys have done,” said Mark Thompson, a professional dog trainer with Dog Training in Your Home.

Thompson and a colleague, Cody Moates, volunteer at the medium-custody facility in Badin two days a week to work with the inmate trainers during sessions.

While the inmate trainers look forward to the dogs’ graduation, they were candid about their hopes that the dogs all find good homes rather than being sent back to the short line toward euthanasia.

With graduation ceremonies about a week away, the need to identify homes for the pups is beginning to bear down.

“They need homes within the week,” Brisson said.

“Or they go back ...

“They’re good dogs and they need good homes.”

Recognizing the dogs’ loving natures and seeing how far they’ve come in just nine weeks, the inmate trainers hope adoption will save all three dogs.

Robert Speaks believes Sadie will fit well into a family and described how being a part of her training has been a positive experience for him.

“It’s a fairly large commitment and a big responsibility,” he said.

“It’s worth it though.”

Rambo learned from inmate trainer Matthew Quinones, who values the experience he gained through his opportunity to participate in A New Leash on Life.

“This program has a lot to offer,” he said.

“Learning to do this or getting a dog trained like these are would cost a lot of money.

“When you get an opportunity to do something like this it’s the way to go.”

Perry Widemon holds a bit of ACI history as the first inmate to apply for the program in its first year.

He also worked with Rambo and watched his four-legged compatriot go from shy to cavalier in just a few weeks of training.

Inmate trainers Mark Chandler and James Stewart teamed up to prepare Turner for graduation, a testament to their work ethic.

Their success was evident in their expressions as their charismatic pupil, Turner, responded to their commands.

The pair may have added a few years to the mid-size pooch’s life, reporting he enjoyed the exercise during training.

And he wasn’t the only one. Stewart said he dropped a few pounds during the session as well.

“I didn’t think I would get as attached to them as I did,” he said.

“It’s a good feeling to know they needed us to get to where they are — especially knowing where they were before.”

Administrators and program directors at the facility set the wheels in motion to bring A New Leash on Life to ACI.

It started with the facility’s administrator Lewis Smith, who approved it for inclusion with the institution’s offerings and made the entire process possible.

From there other ACI officials, including assistant superintendent John Godfrey, program coordinator Renea Laxton, Russell Ramsey and others, kept the ball rolling until day one of A New Leash on Life became a reality Jan. 24.

Now that the program is in motion, crucial sponsorship funds and donations, accepted at the humane society, for the program’s continued operation are needed.

That’s funding for a canine first aid kit, dog food, leashes, bedding and other materials that help make A New Leash on Life successful.

For more on ACI, visit http://www.doc.state.nc.us/DOP/prisons/albemarle.htm or to learn more about Thompson’s Dog Training in Your Home visit http://www.betterdog.com.

Jay Almond can be contacted by email at snaponline21@yahoo.com.

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