HOPE:
Hounds of Prison Education

Watch our HOPE (Hounds of Prison Education) Program receive the Jefferson Award for Public Service - starring our own Kelly McGinley.

Click here to watch the news video!

The HOPE (Hounds of Prison Education) Program was launchedin March of 2005 in an effort to help more homeless animals find their way into forever homes.  Sponsored by the Central Pennsylvania Animal Alliance (CPAA), the HOPE Program works in conjunction with the State Correctional Institute at Camp Hill and CPAA member rescues.   The program pairs carefully screened inmates with needy dogs for a 6-12 week period.  The inmates work together with a professional trainer, prison staff and HOPE volunteers to provide the dogs with basic obedience training, socialization, behavior modification and one-on-one attention.  The dogs involved in the program graduate with a wealth of valuable skills that help give them a paw up on finding a home.

The inmates and the dogs live together in the cell and attend weekly training sessions. They follow a strict training regimen which provides the dogs with the structure the need to adapt into a traditional home.  Many of the dogs who are involved in the program have mild behavior and social issues, have been in foster care for an extra long period of time or just need some extra one-on-one attention to get them up to snuff and ready for adoption.  By the time they are paroled, the dogs have become more confident, better behaved and are looking forward to starting a new life on the outside.  For information on adopting one of these wonderful animals and to read their weekly prison journals, please click here.