Prison Pet Partnership Program

Prison Pet Partnership is an organization that has been a model for the nation in the rehabilitation of incarcerated individuals. Our mission is to enrich the lives of incarcerated individuals, animals, and the community through the human-animal bond. Our esteemed organization has been guiding the way for prison pet programs globally since 1981.

What We Do

Prison Pet Partnership provides incarcerated individuals with the opportunity to learn valuable pet care vocational skills to secure employment post-release. Our comprehensive program includes training dogs, boarding, and grooming. Participants also gain clerical and customer service skills, making them more employable upon release.

Our trainers identify dogs in shelters and purpose-bred puppies, which we then train and place as service, facility, and therapy dogs. Service dogs are trained to provide mobility assistance, respond to seizures, and assist individuals with combat-related PTSD, increasing their independence. Facility dogs are trained to provide assistance in clinical settings, while therapy dogs are trained to assist children in hospitals, domestic violence survivors in court, and seniors in assisted living facilities.

Our participants earn certification as Pet Care Technicians, Groomers, Dog Trainers, and Veterinary Assistants. They form strong bonds with the dogs they care for and train, and receive unconditional love in return. This transformative experience has a profound impact on both the participants and the dogs.

History

Prison Pet Partnership was founded in 1981 as a collaborative effort between Sister Pauline Quinn, a Dominican Nun, and Dr. Leo Bustad, former chair of Washington State University's veterinary program. They believed that rehabilitation could be facilitated by the human-animal bond. Prison Pet Partnership has been a pioneer in innovative programming for incarcerated individuals, working cooperatively with Washington State University, Tacoma Community College, and the Washington State Department of Corrections.

In 1984, Prison Pet Partnership began offering programming to incarcerated individuals at Washington Corrections Center for Women. In 1986, we became one of the top ten finalists for Innovations in State and Local Government recognized by the Ford Foundation and the John F. Kennedy School of Business at Harvard University. In 1990, we were registered as a 501c(3) non-profit organization.

Over the years, Prison Pet Partnership has expanded its service dog training program, accepting purpose-bred puppies to increase the certification rate of service dogs. We continue to rescue animals from shelters to train as family pets, instead of service work. Our compassionate organization has seen the positive mental health impacts of our program on both participants and dogs, creating a transformative experience for all involved.

Leadership

Our dedicated team of leaders has driven the success of Prison Pet Partnership. From Sister Pauline Quinn, who co-founded our organization in 1981, to Jeanne Hampl, our first Executive Director, who retired in 1998. Beth Rivard has been our Executive Director since 1998, leading our organization through significant growth and expansion.

Commitment

At Prison Pet Partnership, we commit to compassion and respect for people and animals. We believe in the power of the human-animal bond to transform lives and strengthen communities. Our commitment to service education, growth, and building partnerships enables us to make a lasting impact on the lives of incarcerated individuals, animals, and the community.