At HMP Doverdale, a high-security, Category B prison in Staffordshire, England, inmates are being given a new opportunity to train cute, friendly puppies. These pups aren’t trained to strike terror into the hearts of would-be escapees but to assist disabled people with their daily tasks. In November 2021, Dovegate became the first adult men’s prison in England to run a full-time dog training course. The Restart Dogs project is an initiative that trains assistance dogs for the community while giving inmates who are serving significant sentences the necessary skills and qualifications to become dog trainers and handlers alongside the ability to set up their own businesses on release.
Assistance dogs play an important role in supporting disabled people with daily living tasks such as unloading washing machines and opening doors. These animals require extensive training which can take up to two years. The Restart Dogs program is stepping up to the challenge by providing the incarcerated with the necessary experience to instill certain behaviors in the dogs through positive reinforcement.
The qualifications and skills taught as part of this program paint a picture of a crime-free life outside the prison walls for these inmates. This is a unique opportunity to develop their passions and create meaningful lives beyond the confines of the prison. Speaking to the fact, Rachel Trafford, the animal behaviorist behind the project, says, “This is a group of prisoners now that we don’t have to worry about. They’re drug-free, incident-free, easy to manage on the wings.”.
This dog training program is having an impact since it is reducing crime and enhancing the lives of individuals with disabilities. Restart Dogs’ first graduate dog, Nika, trained in part by one inmate, got adopted by a young boy with autism named Alfred Peterken in 2022. Describing her son’s experience with his new dog, Alfred’s mother, Tabitha Peterken, says, “Nika’s brilliant. When she feels a meltdown happening…if it’s going on a bit too long, she’ll just take him outside. We’ve been able to sit in cafes and have drinks, which he didn’t do before.” The program is expanding to Fosse Way near Leicester and is setting up a charity to help newly released prisoners launch their dog training businesses
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