Second Chances: The Transformative Relationship Between Incarcerated Youth and Shelter Dogs

Second Chances: The Transformative Relationship Between Incarcerated Youth and Shelter Dogs recounts the story of Project POOCH (Positive Opportunities―Obvious Change with Hounds), a program that united incarcerated boys with unwanted dogs from animal shelters. Both the boys and the dogs were considered undesirable, and few had found love in their lives. As a result of the project, the lives of many youths and dogs changed forever.

The project faced many challenges. The correctional facility administrators needed much convincing before approval was given to start the onsite program with one boy and one dog. At one point, Dalton sold her house to keep the project funded. However, since 1993, over 95 percent of the youths have not returned to corrections once their sentence was served. Some of the boys have gone on to college, and all have been gainfully employed. The POOCH dogs learned basic obedience and went on to become beloved family pets; some even became companion dogs to autistic children, people with physical impairments, and war veterans diagnosed with PTSD. Dalton’s own story starts with a family background where her dogs were killed for minor behavioral problems, and leads to teaching incarcerated youth that they deserve unconditional love, first demonstrated by the transformational connection with canines.

Joan K. Dalton’s work as a school administrator in Oregon's most strict lockup for incarcerated boys inspired her to start Project POOCH (Positive Opportunities―Obvious Change with Hounds), which involved pairing the boys with problem shelter dogs. Her work has been published in Dog Fancy, Cat Fancy, Our Animal Wards, and Northwest Magazine, and her experience with Project POOCH has been featured on Animal Planet. Currently, Dalton uses her experience as a business teacher and consultant to mentor formerly incarcerated youth. To learn more, visit Joan's website www.joandalton.com.