The PAWS program pairs select TJJD youth with K9 partners for a minimum of 12 weeks. The dogs, which come from local animal shelters, learn basic commands, improved socialization skills, and earn a Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Certification. This certification is recognized as the gold standard for dog behavior. Youth learn responsibility and benefit from the companionship.
Youth selected to participate in the program are carefully chosen to ensure they will have the right temperament to work with the dogs. These youth are typically some of the best behaved youth on campus and have earned the right to participate in the program. All youth live in the designated PAWS dorm and, during the 12-week program, are responsible not only for training the dogs but must care for, exercise, feed and nurture the pets.
Case Manager Marsha Deeds, at 17-year veteran at TJJD, oversees the PAWS dorm and said she enjoys seeing the young men interacting with their K9 charges.
“I’m not really a dog person,” Deeds said. “But now I see how smart they are and how much they enjoy the youth.”
PAWS dorm JCO IV Laquita Mitchell, who has been at Gainesville for four years, said the youth seem very focused and relaxed when working with their dogs.
“This program is great because these kids feel like they are needed for something,” Mitchell said, “They appreciate someone depending upon them and they’re learning to be unselfish.”
Matching each youth with a dog is a thoughtful and deliberative process. Oftentimes, the young man’s needs and strengths are matched with those of his K9 partner. According the Gainesville Assistant Superintendent Deidre Reece, that is particularly true in one recently made partnership.
“Youth RT is a very sensitive young man and has a disabled sister that he is fiercely protective of,” Reece said. “We paired him with a dog that had apparently been physically and emotionally abused. The dog has responded extremely well to RT’s caretaker and protective nature. It’s been a perfect match.”
Much like the youth, PAWS dogs have undergone numerous obstacles on their way to the program. The animals are provided by Noah’s Ark Animal Shelter in Gainesville. The shelter and Executive Director Tory Ball decided to partner with the Gainesville program after being approached by TJJD PAWS creator and overseer Cris Burton. She said she is glad to be partnered with the school and is glad that the program is helping the dogs as well as the youth.
“Most of our animals have been abandoned,” Ball said. “Unfortunately, many of the dogs are harder to place in permanent homes because of behavioral issues. I get great satisfaction knowing that dogs who were less likely to be adopted are getting a second chance.”
Ball said she has checked on the animals placed in the PAWS program. She believes the program is doing a great job and that, when she visits, the youth love to question her about dogs.
Once the training program is completed, the Gainesville State School and Noah’s Ark will hold an adoption day. This is a chance for youth to help their K9 friends demonstrate their new skills and tricks and meet prospective new owners.