Friends of Paws in Prison, Inc runs the Paws in Prison program at the women's prison in Lockhart Texas.
In over 10 years, we have saved more than 350 dogs and taught countless women real-world skills to help them have a greater chance of success when they are released from prison.
All training is done using gentle positive-reinforcement training. The women learn to work as a team and use skills including patience, consistency, creativity and lots of love.
The dogs are trained and rehabilitated by the inmates until they are ready to be adopted. Some dogs have been in the program for as little as 8 weeks and some have remained for over 2 years waiting for the right home. The dogs live with the women in their cells - 2 women and 1 dog with constant training.
Some of our human graduates have gone on to be dog trainers, dog groomers, rescue workers and rescue volunteers.
Some of our adopted dogs have even become service or therapy dogs; all have become beloved family members.
The dogs are available for adoption for only $225. Each is trained, current on vaccines, spayed or neutered, microchipped and free of heartworms.
We feature a full-time Executive Director who evaluates and chooses the dogs from shelters, oversees the selection, management and training of the women and evaluates the eventual adopters.
The program receives NO funding from the state of Texas, the federal government or the corporation that manages the prison. All funding is through generous donations.
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