Prison Program

A New Leash on Life

Animal Friends’ New Leash Program is a unique foster initiative that helps both ends of the leash. In partnership with nearby prisons and jails, the program places dogs in correctional facilities where participants provide daily care, training, and socialization while the animals wait for adoption.

Through this hands-on foster experience, dogs gain valuable skills, confidence, and positive behaviors that help prepare them for life in a loving home. At the same time, program participants build responsibility, patience, and a sense of purpose by caring for and working closely with the animals.

The New Leash Program creates second chances—giving dogs a better path to adoption while offering participants an opportunity for personal growth, connection, and hope.

Ways To Support

Rubicon, one of Animal Friends' dogs who participated in the SCI Fayette Program.

Painting of DAWG program graduates on SCI Fayette County walls

Murals throughout the blocks at SCI Fayette that inmates painted in memory of DAWG program graduates.

Animal Friends New Leash Program partners with several organizations within our community, including the D.A.W.G. (Developing Animals With Goals) Program at SCI Fayette Prison and T.A.I.L.S. (Training Animals and Incarcerated Lifelong Skills) Program at Allegheny County Jail.

Through this collaboration, we send dogs to work one-on-one with select inmates. This provides an opportunity for our long-term residents, Humane Investigation hold dogs, and those in need of extra training or a break from shelter life to receive personalized attention and skills development.

When a dog is selected to join the New Leash program, they are paired with one or two inmates who will work with them throughout their stay. The inmates help the dogs develop a variety of important skills such as loose-leash walking to improve leash manners.

During their time in foster, the dogs also enjoy a change of scenery, with plenty of opportunities for relaxation and enrichment activities. Most importantly, they receive lots of love and attention from their dedicated handlers.

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Animal Friends New Leash Program

"D.A.W.G. provides the dogs with positive tools to make them more adoptable. The handlers take a great amount of pride in working with these dogs and staff at the prison are so happy to see the dogs walking around. It definitely is a stress reliever for them as well."