PAWS FOR LIFE K9 RESCUE

THE PFLK9 SHELTER PROGRAM READIES LAAS DOGS FOR SUCCESSFUL HOME PLACEMENTS THROUGH ONE-ON-ONE TRAINING - FACILITATED BY OUR PROFESSIONAL DOG TRAINERS, INCARCERATED DOG TRAINERS AT CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND REHABILITATION (CDCR) FACILITIES, AND REENTRY PROGRAM DOG TRAINERS ON-SITE AT OUR PEOPLE AND PET INNOVATION CENTER. OUR TRAINERS WORK WITH DOGS TO ADDRESS BEHAVIORAL ISSUES BEFORE ADOPTION, AND AFTER ADOPTION TO ENSURE THE BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOMES FOR THE CANINES. THROUGH THE PROGRAM, DOGS ALSO RECEIVE ESSENTIAL VETERINARY CARE AND MICROCHIPPING, PARTICIPATE IN PLAYGROUPS FOR SOCIALIZATION, AND MUCH MORE. SHELTER IS ON AVERAGE A 6 TO 8-WEEK PROGRAM THAT TAKES PLACE WITHIN THE CORRECTIONAL SETTING, AT THE PEOPLE AND PET INNOVATION CENTER (PPIC), AND IN THE COMMUNITY FOR ROUGHLY TWO TO FOUR HOURS EACH DAY, FIVE DAYS A WEEK. BECAUSE OF THE HANDS-ON TRAINING AND SOCIALIZATION THE DOGS RECEIVE, SUCCESSFUL LONG-TERM HOME PLACEMENTS AND FEWER OWNER SURRENDERS DUE TO TEMPERMENT AND CORRECTABLE BEHAVIOR ISSUES ARE MORE LIKELY. BEST OF ALL, THE PROGRAM IS OFFERED AT NO COST - THIS INCLUDES ANY NECESSARY CONTINUED TRAINING POST-ADOPTION. WE CURRENTLY SERVE BETWEEN 700-800 LAAS DOGS EACH YEAR AND HAVE A GOAL TO SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE THOSE NUMBERS EACH YEAR.

THE PFL SERVICE DOG PROGRAM IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN PAWS FOR LIFE K9 RESCUE AND THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND REHABILITATION (CDCR) THAT REHABILITATES RESCUE DOGS INTO HIGHLY TRAINED SERVICE DOGS FOR MILITARY VETERANS WITH PTSD. INCARCERATED PARTICIPANTS IN CDCR FACILITIES SPEND HUNDREDS OF HOURS TRAINING THE DOGS TO PERFORM A VARIETY OF TASKS THAT ALLEVIATE MAY OF THE DAILY CHALLENGES OF PTSD. IN THE PROCESS THEY FIND HEALING, ACCOUNTABILITY, A SENSE OF PURPOSE, AND FOR MANY, A CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE UNCONDITIONAL LOVE AND EMPATHY FOR THE FIRST TIME. PARTICIPANTS ALSO BUILD JOB SKILLS THAT CAN LEAD TO SECURE EMPLOYMENT UPON RELEASE, LOWERING REENTRY RISK SIGNIFICANTLY. THIS PROGRAM IS A 40-WEEK TRAINING PROCESS THAT PREPARES THE DOG TO HANDLE THE RIGORS OF PERFORMING IN VARIOUS ENVIRONMENTS AND PTSD DISABILITY-SPECIFIC TASKS. AT THE END OF THE CORE SIX MONTHS OF THE PROGRAM, OUR TRAINERS PLACE DOGS WITH CLIENTS (VETERANS) DURING A SEVEN-DAY EDUCATION AND TRAINING BOOT CAMP. THE BOOT CAMP TEACHES VETERANS HOW TO UTILIZE HIS/HER NEW SERVICE DOG APPROPRIATELY. THE TRAINING TAKES PLACE IN VARIOUS PUBLIC SETTINGS/SITUATIONS, AS WELL AS, WITHIN THE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY WITH THE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WHO TRAINED THE SERVICE DOGS. PFL'S STAFF AND TRAINERS SUPPORT THE VETERAN ADOPTERS AT EVERY STEP OF THE PROGRAM, AND BEYOND. THE PLF PTSD SERVICE DOG PROGRAM RUNS TWO 52-WEEK CYCLES ANNUALLY, SERVING 25 INCARCERATED PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS, 7 DOGS, AND 7 MILITARY VETERANS EACH CYCLE. VETERANS AND THEIR DOGS CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER, AND ADDITIONAL TRAINING IS OFFERED TO ENSURE THE BEST POSSIBLE FIT FOR HUMANS AND CANINES.