Dogs on the Inside - Animal Assisted Therapy in USA Prisons

"Until one has had a relationship with an animal, part of one’s soul remains unawakened” (Anatole France)

‘Dogs on the Inside’, is a documentary film based in the USA which demonstrates the massive healing power of a co-healing collaboration between abused and abandoned dogs and long-term prisoners.

The dog rescuers say, “The abandoned dogs have no companionship at all, they are just being left… A lot of the dogs we take on are strays, stray dogs more than likely end up euthanized… Most countries have prison systems with thousands at minimum security facilities which can be used as foster homes for the dogs that rescue shelters do not have space for”, and this sounds like a logical and compassionate alternative to dogs being euthanized.

“I think a dog can become the lifeline, sort of the oxygen for these guys (inmates)... bringing a dog into prison is like a taste of freedom”. An inmate compared the things that both abused dogs and prisoners have in common which explains why they can form a connection, a strong bond, very quickly:

• Both came from a very bad life
• Neither have been shown love in a while (or never)
• People forgot about them
• Neither have ever experienced unconditional love
• Once in here (shelter/ prison) people forget about them
• They have trust issues and need to be able to feel safe

One of the inmates explained how he was a recovering drug addict but having gone through the program there was no way he would go back to that life again.

The prison warden added that, “This training is extremely beneficial to the prisoners. All of them need a friend… there is a softening and people don’t leave the same”.

The dogs and the inmates need to receive unconditional love. During the Training the dogs teach the inmates to be confident, patient, calm and peaceful.

“You have to learn to love yourself before you can love anybody else”; and these abandoned dogs teach us just that; all about unconditional love, non-judgment, and full acceptance: “Nothing is impossible”.