Rehabilitation though animals. That’s the slogan for the nonprofit Hounds Town Charities rescue group, which is leading a new initiative called “Handcuffs to Healing.”
The program is designed to help Yaphank Correctional Facility inmates and shelter dogs alike, by pairing the two groups together.
“It is scientifically proven that dogs creates pleasure in humans when they interact with them,” said Mike Gould, the president of Hounds Town Charities.
Gould, who is a former officer in the Nassau County Police Canine Unit and an NYPD canine handler, teamed up with the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office on the new program.
“The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department was nice enough, bold enough, and progressive enough to allow us to begin our pilot program,” said Gould.
For six weeks, Gould and his team of volunteers have been teaching six inmates how to train one dog each at the Brookhaven Town Animal Shelter and Adoption Center.
The goal is to teach the participants dog training skills, empathy, and a sense of responsibility, while the dogs become more adoptable.
“[We] give the participants the ability to learn something,” said Gould, “and to me its a spiritual journey.”
Brookhaven Town leaders have been enthusiastic about the project.
“Handcuffs to Healing is a win-win for the inmates, the dogs and the people who adopt them,” said Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine.
This first session ends this Friday, Oct. 20, and the six dogs that are graduating will be available for adoption at the shelter, which is located at 300 Horseblock Road in Brookhaven Hamlet.
“The dogs are by far better,” said Gould, who also owns the dog daycare Hounds Town USA, which has locations across the island. “We are teaching them skills like not to pulling on their leash and stopping other bad behaviors.”
WANT TO ADOPT?
Brookhaven Animal Shelter and Adoption Center is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The names of the dogs in the program are Karl, Ramsey, Deuce, Bain, Billy and Scooby.
For more information, you can call 631-451-6950 or visit the shelter website.
Top: Billy, one of the dogs in the Handcuffs to Healing program. (courtesy photo)
