Animals are always a source of comfort and joy. One of the proofs of a pet’s calming influence comes with the dog project in prisons. Many prisons around the country are undertaking "dog therapy". A number of young dogs are given to certain inmates. The inmates then train the dogs to be obedient, and then the dogs are adopted out to "forever" families.
The inmates are not chosen lightly. They have to be inmates that have given some effort towards the project, and they have to be non-violent towards animals. Most of the inmates chosen have been in the prison for a good amount of time, so the staff knows that they will take good care of the dog. There is usually a very long list of inmates waiting to get into the program due to the extra privileges, such as being allowed to walk the dog a certain number of times a day. Before the program is through, however, they inmates learn the true reasoning behind the program.
Many of these inmates have never had someone to take care of. They’ve never had someone just sit there and listen to their worries without being judgmental. They discover what having a pet is like, and learn to be a bit softer themselves. When the pets leave, the prisoners mourn, as they will never see the dog again. Animals truly are members of our family, and it’s natural to mourn them when they move on to other homes or pass away. The best way to move through the grief is to have a place, and people, with which you can remember your pet in only the best light. Where you can recall all the wonderful things that your pet did, and how much you miss them.
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