Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Animal Welfare topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Montcalm County approves shelter‑to‑prison dog training partnership with Central Michigan Correctional Facility
Summary
The board approved a partnership that will place up to 10 Montcalm County shelter dogs at Central Michigan Correctional Facility for eight-week training under the Positive Futures program; the shelter and MDOC described costs, volunteer roles and expected outcomes.
Montcalm County commissioners on May 12 approved a partnership between the county animal shelter and the Central Michigan Correctional Facility to place shelter dogs in the facilityPositive Futures program for training and subsequent adoption.
The motion to approve the partnership was moved by Vice Chairman Peterson and carried by voice vote.
Autumn Pumford, Montcalm County animal control director, introduced the proposal and said the shelter and the facility had reviewed program details and were prepared to proceed. Christy Hesbrook, a program coordinator with the Michigan Department of Corrections who oversees the Positive Futures program at Central Michigan Correctional Facility, described the training model and its benefits for inmates and animals.
Hesbrook said the facility can take "upwards of 10 dogs at a time" for an average training period of about eight weeks. Each dog is paired with a two‑prisoner handler team and remains under 24‑hour care during the program. Dogs typically arrive for a one‑ to two‑week decompression period, then begin formal training. Hesbrook described the program as "purely positive" in training approach and said the facility screens prisoner handlers through an application and interview process and maintains supervision.
Costs to the county are limited, Hesbrook said, and commonly come in the form of donations (food, treats, toys) and transportation; a prisoner benefit fund and outside fundraisers can defray additional expenses. Dogs that complete the program return to the shelter for adoption; each adoption includes a training packet, a certificate, a bandana and a handler letter summarizing the dog's work and needs.
Commissioners asked about negative incidents; Hesbrook said serious incidents were rare, noting one isolated case in which a very small puppy died after an accidental fall. The board voted to approve the partnership after brief discussion.
The county will document program care and training history for adopters and accept donations to support dog food and transportation as needed.
