Paws for Life Program Comes to LA County Juvenile Facilities

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Dec. 6 approved a proposal by chair Janice Hahn to bring the Paws for Life dog-training program to LA County juvenile detention facilities, beginning with Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall. The program aims to benefit the incarcerated young people as well as local shelter dogs.

“The incarcerated young people at our juvenile facilities want something to do and deserve more programming,” said Supervisor Hahn. “The Paws for Life program is special and I hope it gives the young people an opportunity to not only learn new skills but find comfort and companionship with these shelter dogs. Each of these young people has so much potential and it is our responsibility to help them reach it.”

The Paws for Life K9 Rescue specializes in programs that allow incarcerated people in maximum security prisons to work with shelter dogs in need of socialization and training. Hahn’s proposal will bring this program to the incarcerated young people in LA County juvenile detention facilities who will have the opportunity to work with a formerly incarcerated trainer to learn to train dogs from city of Los Angeles animal shelters to make them more adoptable. 

Benefits for youth “trainers” working with dogs include looking outward of oneself to care for others, personal responsibility for the dog’s well-being, learning to follow prescribed instructions to elicit desired behavior from the dog, working in cooperative groups, and date and time driven routines that are transferable to any employment opportunity. 

Hahn’s proposal, directing the Los Angeles County Probation Department to enter into an agreement with Paws for Life K9 Rescue, was approved unanimously by the Board of Supervisors Dec. 6.

Details: https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/bos/supdocs/1e5c7364-c105-4fad-b3f1-de17c0b3689d.pdf