Events

With the help of some puppy power, men serving long-term sentences at New York’s Fishkill Corrections Facility are finding a new sense of purpose. Under the direction of spitfire Gloria Gilbert Stoga, president and founder of Puppies Behind Bars, inmates have two years to train a puppy for a life as a service dog for a war veteran living with PTSD. In some cases, these veterans return from their deployments severely depressed, anxious, and so stricken with fear they are unable to leave their homes. These complex populations intersect in PRISON DOGS through the inmates’ rigorous training program and the veterans’ long road to recovery. For inmates it is a welcomed challenge and responsibility to create a meaningful bond with these future service dogs. As for the heroic servicemen and women, the inmates’ beautiful gift is a chance to finally cope with the challenges brought on by their brave sacrifices. PRISON DOGS depicts how the loving companionship of a puppy can renew hope for forgiveness, healing, and humanity. —A.B.