Mountain Views News          Saturday, July 14, 2012

JUST FOR BEST FRIENDS

10

 Mountain Views News Saturday July 14, 2012 


CANINES, CATS AND 
CONS HEART-TO-HEART 
‘HEELING’ HAPPENING 
BEHIND BARS


Happy Tails

by Chris Leclerc

 It never ceases to amaze me what a positive impact 
animals have on human beings. I am convinced that God 
allowed the animals He created to become domesticated for a very specific purpose - to help us along 
in this life on earth. While humans like to consider themselves the superior species in the animal 
kingdom, I believe that we should be very careful in assuming we’re “top dog” among all living things. 
I guess it depends upon how you define “superior”, and upon what criteria you base the honor of that 
particularly important position.

 These are just a few of the emotionally charged thoughts that came rushing like a tidal wave into 
my mind last week, while viewing a documentary about a prison dog program at Dixon Correctional 
Institute in Jackson, Louisiana. This dog rescue & training / prisoner rehabilitation program was born 
out of necessity when thousands of pets were inadvertently released or evacuated during the wake of 
hurricane Katrina. The story was so touching, I was compelled to seek out similar articles to feed my 
need to know more about how convicts are learning to ‘love and let live’ through intimate interaction 
with canines & cats in need. What I found was quite astounding, in terms of the positive results of 
inmates coming together with pets in prison. There are numerous such programs throughout the US, 
and in most cases statistics show that released prisoners who participated have gone on to live more 
productive lives than those who did not.

 What enthralls me most about the concept of having pet shelters in prisons, is that it demonstrates 
the universal structure and balance of symbiotic relationships between various species, and the 
important part those relationships play in forming a better future for all involved. The idea of prisoners 
caring for dogs and cats, who would otherwise be euthanized, makes total sense to me. Needy animals 
are getting the attention and, believe or not, even the training they desperately need, while inmates 
gain increased self-esteem by having the responsibility of caring for another being. Participating 
prisoners become very attached to the animals for which they are responsible, and upon release from 
prison many choose to pursue certifications required for gainful employment where they are able to 
help care for and train sheltered animals in preparation for placement in permanent homes.

 Participation in prison animal shelter programs is a privilege limited strictly to inmates who prove 
themselves trustworthy enough to safely handle and care for the animals, and are willing to show 
them due respect. The program presents a strong incentive for prisoners to work hard at maintaining 
a record of good behavior, which helps with the rehabilitation of those who may otherwise become 
frustrated or angry and cause disruption. The inmates who benefit most from the program are those 
who truly wish to move onward and upward in life, rather than allowing themselves to become 
perpetual victims of the system, and in my opinion, that is indeed the epitome of a “win/win” situation!

 The other beneficial side of the “cooperative canine, cat and con” coin, is the fact that the homeless 
animals that are placed in prison shelters typically receive excellent, closely monitored care and 
even obedience training that may or may not be granted in public animal shelters. While the SPCA, 
the Humane Society and several other animal rescue agencies work very hard to provide optimal 
treatment & sufficient time for placement, they are limited to minimal tax-paid and donated funding 
to carry out the task. In the case of most prison shelters, the inmates build and maintain the actual 
structures themselves, and in some cases the inmates are expected to cover part of the cost associated 
with owning a pet.

 Dixon Correctional Institute is one of many prisons that have established pet shelter programs. 
Another one I was impressed with is called Operation Second Chance, sponsored by a partnership 
between the Gwinnett County Sherriff’s Dept. and The Society of Humane Friends of Georgia. This 
program, which involves inmates working one on one with the animals and some becoming certified 
trainers, is made possible by volunteer efforts and pro-bono services provided by animal-loving pet 
professionals who believe in the idea of positive results coming from symbiotic relationships between 
inmates and animals.

 Probably most unique among the prison pet programs I learned about is one in Alabama involving 
convicts who have been allowed to adopt the feral cats that were found roaming the premises, causing 
chaos for security officers around the perimeter of the prison. In that particular case, hand-picked 
trustworthy inmates, including some on death row, are allowed to keep cats in their cells, under the 
condition that they will accept responsibility for the cost to spay or neuter, and that they will feed and 
care for them. Remarkably, most of the inmates who have qualified for the program have followed 
through with their responsibilities as promised, and have become much more compliant with daily 
prison activities and have fostered a huge amount of affection for their pet, not to mention making it 
a well-known fact that you do not mess with another prisoner’s cat!


PET OF THE WEEK: Zigfried: Animal ID #A4459145

WHEN FLEAS DON’T FLEE By Nick Thomas

This has been an especially active 
year for fleas which have 
been particularly prolific across 
the country due to a warm, 
moist spring. And if you have 
dogs or cats, even if they mostly 
remain inside, fleas still somehow 
manage to hitch a ride and 
set up residence in your carpet 
and furniture.

So what’s an itchy, frustrated 
homeowner to do? In extreme 
cases of infestation, chemical 
treatment of the house or pet 
may be necessary.

One product we found effective 
is Enforcer Flea Spray, available 
in the Wal-mart pet’s section. 
After a population of fleas 
appeared to have set up their 
own country in one room of 
our house, the Enforcer wiped 
them out almost immediately. 
I have no problem with insect 
genocide.

In the case of pet treatment, this 
may include the use of flea collars, 
pills, or monthly medicine 
applied to the skin. Unfortunately, 
some of these products 
are proving to be ineffective this 
flea season.

Your next line of defense should 
be bathing. We have used Adams 
Flea & Tick Shampoo for 
Cats (also from Wal-mart), and 
it works well. Unfortunately it 
has one disadvantage: you have 
to shampoo the cat. While this 
generally presents few problems 
for dogs, cats are an entirely different 
matter.

Flea issues aside, many people 
incorrectly believe cats are like 
self-cleaning ovens and never 
need a good scrub down. It’s 
an easy mistake to make. Just 
because your cousin Earl licks 
himself clean doesn’t mean your 
cat will have the same success, 
even if it can reach places Earl 
can’t.

So occasional cat bathing is 
recommended, especially when 
there is a flea problem. But beware. 
Cats do have a habit of 
transforming from cute, fluffy, 
lovable fur balls into murderous 
biting-scratching demons when 
they hit the water.

Along these lines, wasn’t it Einstein 
who once said she asked to 
explain relativity: “Sitting with 
a pretty girl can make 2 hours 
seem like 2 minutes; bathing a 
cat can make 2 minutes seem 
like 2 hours.” Or words to that 
affect?

Here’s how a typical attempt at 
cat bathing is likely to unfold:

Step 1: Find cat. This may be 
challenging, especially if the 
cat suspects a bath is imminent. 
Cats can be particularly 
resourceful when it comes to 
stealth tactics designed to avoid 
baths, so check behind the sofa, 
in the clothes dryer, up the 
chimney, in your neighbor’s 
sock drawer, Mars.

Step 2: Place cat in sink. At this 
point, suddenly realizing you’ve 
forgotten the shampoo bottle, 
fetch it and return.

Step 3: Find cat and place in 
sink, again.

Step 4: Place cotton balls in cat’s 
ears. This is not to prevent water 
getting in, but to avoid further 
frightening the cat from your 
screams.

Step 5: Pour warm, soapy water 
over cat.

Step 6: Remove cat from head, 
and return to sink. Reach for 
towel to wipe soap and blood 
from face (yours).

Step 7: Find cat.

Step 8: Return soapy, wet, howling, 
scratching cat to sink. Lather, 
rinse, towel dry and release.

Step 9: Call 911 and request 
blood transfusion. While waiting 
for ambulance, disinfect any 
area where excrement may have 
been deposited; also check if the 
cat left any.

Assuming you recover from the 
ordeal, let me also offer one additional 
method we have used to 
reduce rogue fleas in our home.

Place a candle in a large dish 
containing about a half inch of 
water with a squirt of detergent. 
Lay the pan on the floor in the 
room infected with fleas, and 
light the candle just before going 
to bed. The fleas, at least 
some of them, will be attracted 
to the heat, but fall into the 
soapy water and drown. Repeat 
for several nights. It works. 
Really.

But please note: neither the author 
nor this publication accepts 
any responsibility should someone 
in your house trip over the 
candle and set the sofa on fire, 
whilst fleeing from a recently 
bathed, vindictive cat.

Nick Thomas has written for more 
than 200 magazines and newspapers, 
including the Washington 
Post, LA Times, Chicago Tribune, 
Boston Globe, San Francisco 
Chronicle, and Christian Science 
Monitor. He can be reached at 
alongtheselines@yahoo.com


Meet Zigfried, a true ambassador for all canines 
(A4459145). Zigfried is a spectacular two year 
old black and brown male Collie/plush coat 
German Shepherd mix who was found in West 
Covina and brought to the Baldwin Park Animal 
Care Center on July 6th. Weighing seventy-three 
pounds, this dog is flawless – he walks well on 
the leash, sits on command, adores belly rubs 
and is undoubtedly housebroken. Great with 
other dogs, Zigfried would be a great playmate 
and guardian for kids. Zigfried is an amazing 
dog who will be the perfect indoor pet for an 
active individual or family living in a private 
home. To watch a video of Zigfried please visit: 
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTlD8dA2Q3A

To meet Zigfried in person, please see him at 
the Baldwin Park Shelter, located at 4275 N. Elton, Baldwin Park, CA 91706 (Phone: 626-430-
2378 or 626-962-3577). He is currently available now. For any inquiries about Zigfried, please 
reference his animal ID number: A4459145. The shelter is open seven days a week, 12 pm-7 pm 
Monday-Thursday and 10am-5pm Friday-Sunday. This is a high-intake shelter with a great need 
for adoptions. For more information about Zigfried or the adoption process, contact United 
Hope for Animals Volunteer Adoption Coordinator Samantha at samanthasayon@gmail.com or 
661-309-2674. To learn more about United Hope for Animals’ partnership with the Baldwin 
Park Shelter through its Shelter Support Program, as well as the many dogs of all breeds, ages, and 
sizes available for adoption in local shelters, visit http://www.unitedhope4animals.org/about-us/
shelter-support-program/.