From an everyday standpoint being sent to prison is not the ideal way to begin a wonderful new life, but for the dogs rescued by the Heaven Can Wait Sanctuary, it is the start of an extraordinary experience. The Pups on Parole program is the beginning of a second chance to find a family to call their own.

Residents from the Jean and the Southern Nevada Correctional Facilities for women provide rehabilitation and training to dogs that are rescued by HCWS volunteers. The program is designed to save “last day dogs” from the shelter, our Ground Zero program and owner turn-ins. HCWS expects Pups On Parole to change the lives of many homeless dogs.

Some of the pups that enter the program have typically lost their trust in people. They have been traumatized and abused. At the prison they are given time to heal and re-gain their confidence in humans. The dogs are assigned to a team of inmates and they live alongside these women the entire time they are at the prison.

The residents socialize the pups and get them ready to live with a family of their own. Over the course of time at the facility, each pup learns to walk on a leash, is housebroken, and learns basic commands, all the while building a stronger faith in humans.

Pups on Parole has been a huge success! Not only are the inmates rehabilitating the dogs, but the dogs are rehabilitating the women who work with them. The resident dog handlers have gained a new sense of confidence in themselves and learned a valuable new skill.

HCWS volunteers oversee the training process of the dogs and their adoptions. Over 600 dogs that have graduated from the program have already found their “forever” homes. And there are always more studying hard! We know that they are not far behind in finding forever families of their own.