California Men’s Colony hosts New Life K‑9 graduation

June 11, 2024

The latest New Life K-9 graduation at California Men's Colony.

The California Men’s Colony recently hosted a New Life K-9 graduation ceremony, honoring the dedication of the incarcerated trainers.

Demonstration of dog skills at California Men's Colony. — New Life K-9 demonstration.

Trained by incarcerated persons, the dogs require two years to teach the necessary skills to be a service dog.

Once they are fully trained, the dogs are donated to veterans and first responders with post-traumatic stress disorder.

At the graduation, several speakers — including trainers and those receiving dogs — shared how the program has impacted their lives.

The handlers also got to show off the special skills the dogs have learned.

Collen Davis, one of the incarcerated dog handlers, explained the process.

“On a daily basis, we want to allow them to be dogs. We let them play, sniff, (and) have fun. Throughout the day, we’ll do 15-minute training sessions with them, teaching them skills. Also, throughout the day, we’re working on manners,” said Davis. “(We focus on) not picking food up off the floor or sniffing people when they walk by. They aren’t pulling anywhere, (but instead) walking really proper on-leash, but it’s an all-day thing.”

Since the New Life K-9s program started at California Men’s Colony in 2018, 127 incarcerated people have been involved as trainers. Of those, 38 have been paroled and one had his sentence commuted.

Submitted by Lt. T. Eilers