In Indiana of 2015, the Animal Protection League started a wonderful program in Pendleton Correctional Facility (F.O.R.W.A.R.D). Their mission is simple, to foster shelter cats in a safe, healthy and cage-free environment while teaching offender cat caregivers responsibility, compassion, and empathy.
And so far, the program has proved to be very beneficial for both cats and inmates!
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A majority of cats who end up in the shelter tend to have a long history of abuse and mistreatment, thus leaving them unable to socialize properly with humans and getting adopted.
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With cats such as these, you have to EARN their trust. What they need is love and maybe more importantly; patience.
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This program provides the cats with that love and patience they did to obtain their furever home.
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The prisoners feed them, clean after them, groom them and play with them. The cats who were being cared for by these prisoners started to become more social and trusting towards humans.
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The best part? This program isn't just for the cats, the prisoners have also benefited from the program.
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Inmates get a wonderful opportunity to learn how to care for and take responsibility for a living creature.
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Maleag Stringer, the director of the Animal Protection League, wrote on the website, "I’ve had offenders tell me when they got an animal, it was the first time they can remember they were allowing themselves to care about something, to love something."
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“It teaches them responsibility, how to interact in a group using non-violent methods to solve problems and gives them the unconditional love of a pet – something many of these inmates have never known," added Stringer
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The program has been so successful that offenders are motivated to enroll in the program and have been obtaining jobs, obeying unity rules and improving their hygiene. All to get into the program.
"The MCKC Program has reduced offender idleness, taught offenders about responsibility and increased their self-esteem." Purrfect Pals wrote on their website. "The presence of animals on E Unit has added a new calmness to E Unit's therapeutic milieu and strengthened its community spirit."
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