About 100 miles out of the city there's a program that exist in prison in which unadoptable shelter dogs are given a second chance at life. They have a program at prison in which these dogs are taken for 6 wks of intensive training by a certified dog trainer and inmates who sign up for the program. Both animal and inmate appear to benefit from the bond that developes between them and most importantly these previously unadoptable dogs are socialized and well trained giving them a better chance at adoption. They occasionally take in private cases in order to fund the program. Not having the time to devote to my latest rescue a little pit bull pup who now weighs 50 pounds at a few months old I decided to enroll him for intensive training in which he'll remain at the prison for 2 wks and then back again after Christmas.


Pulling up to the prison and entering several gates I was about to turn in my cell phone and other personal items when my cell phone rang. It was my mom. "Mom, I can't talk now I'm in maximum security prison and I have to turn in my phone". Without missing a beat my mom says..Just wanted to know if you remembered to pay your charge card bill? I assurred her I had, and she then say okay "bye".

Later that evening I thought I'd better call her as I knew she'd realized what I had said and it would dawn on her. Whazzat???? what did she say??? Ha Ha!

Chrystal,

You are a woman after my own heart! I love reading your critter posts and I'm amazed and impressed by your dedication, GOOD ONYA!

I hired a new tech about 7 months ago for these same qualities. Rochelle has 9 dogs, 9 cats, 10 horses, a goat and a flock of different birds all in various stages of mend! Better than half of her menagerie would have been dubbed lost causes by most but not this gal! She has bottle fed, fixed broken wings and legs, turned bad dogs into good and crippled horses into riders!

God bless you both along with all the others that have that special place in their hearts for animals!

Mick

Chrystal, You are fine example we can all learn from. Your pup benefitted from your rescue,you benefit by getting a better pup back and the inmate benefits by learning something they can use on the outside of the walls and just as important they learn to make a difference in their own life by being responsible for their insides. You are paying it forward.Thought Farmer.

Funny story, Chrystal. Imagine your mom, once your words registered, calling back and getting "the number you dialed has been disconnected or is no longer in service" ...

Jim

Thanks for all the nice comments!

This weekend, pup went for his intensive training and the following day I took in 9 cats for microchipping at a shelter. I love win/win situations!! In each case the monies I spent went to a higher cause and that was to fund raise/support the programs. In the first case with the pup, the cause is so worthwhile - and the second was a shelter was using the microchip clinic as a fundraiser.

Mickey - Rochelle sounds like an angel and I like her already! She's lucky to have you as her working partner.

ThoughtFarmer I did survive the placing 9 cats in crates and only had a tiny scratch from one of the feral cats,(whose name ironically is Mickey - but he's not painless) but overall it went great! Thanks for asking previously!

Mandarin-Glad you saw the humor in that story. When I called my mom later in the evening we both laughed about the timing of her phonecall.

Chrystal