On June 13, 2016,Blackwater River Correctional and Rehabilitation Facility (BRCRF) in Milton, Florida held their first Graduation Ceremony forthe America’s VetDogs (www.vetdogs.org) Service Dog Prison Program.
Canine Program Director, Julie Stack, described the process of training both inside and outside of the facility. Weekend volunteer Lori Carter and guest speaker Randy Wheeler, a VetDogs recipient, brought the audience to tears as they shared their heart-touching stories.
These dogs will work as Service Dogs for Veterans with PTSD, helping our nation’s heroes regain the lives they once led. Barnaby and Kenve have learned to open handicap doors, interrupt nightmares, turn on the lights and retrieve any item from the floor and/or counter.
The program began in June 2015, when BRCRF received their first two puppies, Barnaby and Kenve, at ten weeks of age. Each puppy is assigned to two inmate Canine Handlers, many whom are veterans themselves, and have full responsibility of the puppy Monday through Friday. On the weekends, the puppies leave the facility to live with volunteers for socialization. At fourteen months the dogs are returned to America’s VetDogs to be assigned to a Veteran with PTSD.
BRCF has ten dogs in the program that will be graduating this year, with hopes to increase the number to fifteen next year.
Thank you to every staff member at BRCRF and the Milton area community for giving back to our Veterans and making this a successful program.
