California Inmates Helping Make Shelter Dogs More Adoptable

CHOWCHILLA, California. (AP) -- California inmates say a new prison program rehabbing shelter dogs is helping them, too.

The Merced Sun-Star reported Saturday on the new dog-training program at the Valley State Prison in Chowchilla.

Prison officers launched the program in July with the Madera County animal shelter. Ten inmates work with the shelter dogs for 10 weeks, with the idea of making the animals more adoptable.

Inmate Leobardo Campos told the newspaper that the responsibility of working with a Jack Russell terrier named Rosie has changed his life. Valley State Lt. Tony Martinez says the inmates did a terrific job training the dogs.

Prison workers have adopted about half of the first class of dogs in the prison training program.