Some time ago I saw a video on a orison in Pennsylvania working with cats which let him come in and film. It works with dogs too/ Basically that depends on what the Warden will go for. With dogs, the prisoners train them to be service dogs, so eventually they must say goodbye to them. But there's always a need for service dogs somewhere. It's always a win-win or a win-win-win.

Don't tell the Mango Monster or he'll put a stop to it.

both for the prisoners and the clients who'd receive the working dogs. Have you heard or seen if it's more...or less... accepted by private prisons or state run ones? States can often have more flexibility than a 3rd party prison system might have. We're moving toward a totally private, corporate-driven prison system I'd hate to see a service like this... or the one with cats... sacrificed to some corporate greed or stodginess.

and my husband is incarcerated here. He is 81, and had a TBI at 21, ao was a sitting duck for dementia, and is now in the facility which is on the grounds of the state mental hospital But he wasn't always. For years he was in a private prison under contract to the state, and they had for a time a service dog training program there. And then they didn't. I do need to say, because this isn't true everywhere, private prisons under contract to Colorado are closely monitored to be in compliance with the state DOC policies. The state even assigns a full time ombudsman to each private prison. So they are not run like crap. But a lot is still going to depend on the warden. And I don't necessarily mean whether the warden is empathetic or zero sum, but whether the warden feels qualified to supervise it, and whether or not he feels the staff is up to the supervision they need to do. I wasn't able to speak at any length with inmates who were in the program, just knew that some were allowed to bring their trainee pups to the visiting room and meet their families. It was clear they were proud and happy to be in the program - and what puppy isn't adorable, even to me, and I'm a cat person. As far as I know it worked and everyone benefitted - all the pups graduated. The state has no specific policy against animals - where hubs is now there is a prison dog who has an inmate assigned to care for him. When the dog was adopted he weighed over a hundred pounds, but is now about 75 pounds, where he should be. And you know it's extremely difficult to get an animal to lose weight - you can't explain to them that it's for their health and longer life, they just know they're hungry. I've met the dog, and he is very affectionate and happy to meet people but also clearly specially attached to his handler. He looks like a black lab but I doubt he is purebred. He's nor a service dog (though he likely functions as a therapy dog😊.)

I have no personal knowledge of cat experiments - just what I've seen Cat Daddy publicize. But what I've seen of that has appeared to be very successful.

If you want to get something started in your state, the first thing to do is to make sure there is no state legislation or state corrections department policy absolutely prohibiting animals in prisons. Then the next thing to do is fnd a way to get to one or more wardens, probably through the state corrections department or possibly through a group outside the prisons which exists to support inmates, and there are many, some local and some with wider scope. There's one in Oregon called 7th Step which I'm pretty dure is confined to Oregon - I learned of it though a friend, now deceased, but who did a lot of prison work. Sorry I can't just now call a national one to mind (I'm 79 and still caring for myself, but I do forget things.) but search engines are your friend. I would expect it to be one prison at a time, so the more wardens you know, the better your chances.

Sorry, I wasn't intending to write a novel, but I was trying to answer what you asked to the best of my knowledge. I hope I at least came close to that.

I know we have a cat program here... I believe it's in the state prison. Somehow I just can't imagine Leavenworth Federal having a program like it, but who knows? I only live 5 blocks from LV Fed. When there was a time when trump was actually in court and people were saying send him to LV, I was the one dissenting voice saying "Oh, please... anywhere but here! (LOL)"

I'm associated with one of the rescue groups here. We've got a monthly meeting coming up, and it's a good question to bring up in group. While most of us have dogs, we're generally cat people, ourselves. I live with a 110-115 lb loveable mutt and her pack includes me and hubs and 7 cats, including one Manx and one Norwegian. I'll let you guess who rules the roost around here!

Hea, I know about those brain freezes! I'm 10 years less than you, and some days I feel like I'm chasing my marbles all over the house! It can be infuriating. Hubs is about your age, and he's having more trouble than me. So my days consist of trying to understand what words he can't get from brain to mouth, while hoping I remember to pay the latest bill that's come due. Growing older is not for the faint of heart, no matter what your situation. I feel for yours having experienced a TBI at such a young age. Mine had electroshock therapy for schizophrenia when he was a teenager, and it's left him with some permanent holes in his memory, which was never very good to begin with! His birthday is the day before mine... so I told him at least he has no excuse for not remembering my birthday... ever! (LOL)

Again, thanks for the in depth info... I appreciate the info and the personal reference that you shared with it.
Sláinte, soldierant, to you and your hubs!

If you think of something later, feel free to sent me a DU private message I assume there won't always be a convenient post to hang a comment on when you have a question..

they have a similar program in the prisons here in Leavenworth... I figure it's just the state prisons involved. But they also outlined what a difference it made in attitude, morale, discipline, and rehabilitation for those involved. I thought then it was a wonderful idea, and I'm glad to see it's catching on elsewhere, too. Cats are soothing creatures. If there would be one word or sound I could nominate for most important, it'd be Purrr... whole walls can be broken down with a cat's purr. There's a touch of the mystic in every cat, even the beaten up, feral old bruisers. (I've rescued enough of them to know that personally!)