HHS Prison Pups N’ Pals Program On Class # 64

Daytona Beach, FL – Halifax Humane Society (HHS) and the Tomoka Correctional Center are partnered up through the Prison Pups ‘n Pals program which is currently on class number 64. HHS Community Outreach Director Barry Kukes said the program is in its seventh year. “We’ve had over 600 dogs graduate from this class and get adopted. We pair up dogs that most times are hard to get adopted, so we want to give them a little bit more of an advantage.”   Each dog in the program is paired up with two inmates for an eight-week period and they are together 24/7 during training. Kukes said he feels the dogs in the program have an advantage. “Even if that dog comes back to the shelter, doesn’t get adopted from the program, which they can be, it gives them that advantage because we put it on their kennel, “Trained by Prison Pups n’ Pals.” It’s a big advantage because some people want a dog that’s ready to go.” Some of the dogs go to veterans as part of the Paws for Freedom group.  Kukes said that the dogs are not necessarily for emotional support. They’re just a pet that will work great with a Paws of Freedom candidate. Kukes said if you’d like to adopt a dog from the program, you can make arrangements to attend a class to see if there’s a dog there that will suit you.  You would contact Officer Gail Irwin, who works for the Florida Department of Corrections and has been with the program almost since its inception. The program has been very worthwhile for HHS and the dogs. Kukes thinks it’s also been worthwhile for the inmates. “It helps the inmates get rehabilitated and we’ve actually hired quite a few inmates from that program. so that works out great for the inmates, for the prison, for us. It’s a win-win all-around. “