Dog days in prison
Behind the bars of Rimutaka Prison, prisoners and retired greyhounds work towards a new life together in a one-of-a-kind programme.
Te Whare Manaakitanga Special Treatment Unit is home to the Great Mates programme, where prisoners train the retired racing dogs for a new life.
Over eight weeks men within the therapeutic rehabilitation unit take care of a dog and start training them for life as a household pet.
They groom and feed the dogs, as well as teaching them basic skills like how to walk up stairs – a learning experience for both the dogs and the prisoners.
One handler said he hadn’t cared for an animal for 11 years.
‘‘It’s been good. It’s taught me about relationships and empathy. I hope [the dog] goes to a good home.’’
The Rimutaka programme is the first of its kind in New Zealand, although principal corrections officer Jo Heath said the idea to bring the greyhounds inside came from similar programmes in countries like Australia and the United States.
‘‘Around the world it’s got to the point where people want to go on a waitlist for a prison-trained dog.’’
A lot of that came down to the amount of time and care prisoners could put into training, she said.
The Great Mates programme was first piloted at the prison in April this year, with the help of Greyhound Racing New Zealand, and has now become an ongoing project.
Thirteen prisoners have been through Great Mates so far, fully training nine greyhounds. So far all but one dog has been rehomed.
‘‘[The men] loved every minute of it,’’ Heath said, ‘‘The best thing about it is it’s the practical way to use the skills they’ve learned from STURP [Special Treatment Unit Rehabilitation Programme].’’
Those skills ranged from work ethics to communication and teaching.
‘‘It’s skills they can take back to their families. They might not have had a lot to do with their kids, for example. They take that back to their families and become role models and teach their kids.’’
Research from the Department of Corrections showed men who completed the programme and received parole were 32 per cent less likely to reoffend than similar untreated offenders.
‘‘The impact has been huge for these men,’’ Heath said.