Tuesday, April 30, 2024
For military Veterans who suffer from service-related injuries or post-traumatic stress disorder, a service dog can provide emotional and physical support as well as improve their daily lives.
On Oct. 13, Patriot PAWS and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) held a special ceremony that paired five Veterans with their forever friend. The celebration is held after months of training sessions, where Veterans work with different service dogs before the organization pairs them with their perfect match.
“It’s hard not to settle on one dog because you don’t know yet, but then you get matched with the dog who is going to be your battle buddy,” said David Carrasco, a U.S Army Veteran who matched with his service dog, Matrix. “I know this is just the start of the journey with Patriot PAWS.”
Patriot PAWS is a regional organization that provides fully-trained service dogs to Veterans at no cost. As part of the organization’s prison training program, the Matching Day celebration took place at the TDCJ Dr. Lane Murray Unit. The aim of the program is to teach incarcerated individuals how to properly train service dogs, providing them with valuable skills and future career opportunities.
While the program changes the lives of Veterans, it also provides those who are incarcerated with an opportunity to give back to the community.
“It’s a win-win situation to watch the change in the inmates’ lives and what they’re doing for the veterans,” said Audrey England, senior warden of the Dr. Lane Murray Unit. “To be a part of that makes every hard day good just to be able to give back.”
Patriot PAWS partners with two TDCJ units in Gatesville and one unit in Fairfield, Texas for its service dog prison training program.
Kadie Robinson, who has been a trainer in the Patriot PAWS program for a year and half, said it’s amazing to not only be a part of the program, but also witness its end result.
“I don’t feel like I’m wasting my time,” Robinson said. “I feel blessed to be a part of the program.”
Cindy Sutton, the training director for Patriot PAWS, said training can take 18 to 24 months before the dog is placed with a Veteran. She adds that they choose service dog/Veteran pairings based on how well they work together or if the dog chooses the Veteran.
“A lot of times, the dog picks them,” Sutton said.
The ceremony included awards for the trainers, music, and a skit that demonstrated various service dog training techniques. Patriot PAWS also introduced the new service dog class of 2025, who will start training as puppies before graduating to full-grown service dogs.
Since its founding, Patriot PAWS has placed more than 400 dogs with Veterans. According to the Patriot PAWS website, the partnership with TDCJ is considered one of the most successful programs of its kind in the country.
“It not only changes the veterans’ lives but changes the inmates’ lives,” Sutton said. “It gives them a sense of purpose.”
Following the Matching Day ceremony, Patriot PAWS held one more week of training and then an official graduation ceremony for the service dogs on Friday, Oct. 20.
“This is a new chapter in my life,” said Patricia Labar, who was excited to match with her service dog, Hoge.
