Inmates at Wellington Correctional Centre will be the latest to take part in a unique program to help train greyhounds for life as pets.
The Greyhound As Pets (GAP) Prison Program was officially launched in Wellington on Monday by local Member of Parliament, the Hon. Stephen Lawrence MLC, representing the Minns Government, and Corrections Minister, the Hon. Anoulack Chanthivong.
Wellington Correctional Centre is the latest to partner with Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) and GAP for the program, which has been an ongoing success since its launch in 2010 at Dillwynia Correctional Centre in Windsor, in Sydney’s north-west, and later at Hunter Correctional Centre.
“The GAP Prison Program has proven over the years to be beneficial for both the inmates and our wonderful greyhounds,” said GRNSW Chief Executive Officer Rob Macaulay.
“We have been informed by prison staff at the centers where the GAP Prison Program has been implemented – Dillwynia and Hunter Correctional Centre – that the initiative has resulted in better communication with inmates due to a shared interest in talking about the greyhounds.
“We at GRNSW and GAP have long known what loving, affectionate and calm animals greyhounds are and what amazing pets they make, and it is no longer a well-kept secret.
“We are delighted to be able to start the GAP Prison Program in Wellington and we are sure that the inmates, the staff and our animals will all be beneficiaries of this program.”
Each intake of six greyhounds will spend six weeks in the program, during which time the inmates will train and care for the animals for up to 6.5 hours a day as they prepare for the transition from racing to pet life.
During the training period, inmates teach the dogs various activities such as walking on a loose leash, recognizing and recalling their handler’s name, following directions to their bed or a specific place, and lying down.
The training program not only prepares the greyhounds for the next phase of their lives, but also ensures that they are the perfect fit for any home, and those greyhounds in the program that show potential are referred for additional training to become Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) companion animals.
This project has been a six month build for Corrective Services Industries and to complement their learning from GAP staff, inmates are now engaged in an animal husbandry course through TAFE NSW.
Wellington Correctional Center GAP Co-Ordinator Natasha Richards said GAP was connecting retired racers with new families while providing meaningful opportunities for inmates to learn pro-social skills in pet dog care, animal first aid and animal husbandry.
“The idea of a second chance is at the heart of this program – the dogs are rehabilitated by inmates who are at the same time embarking on their own transformative and life-changing journey.”
Acting Commissioner Corrective Services NSW Leon Taylor said the experience was rewarding for the inmates and enhanced their skills for life after release.
“This program helps animals in need find loving families, while providing inmates with the tools and experience to become law-abiding members of our communities,” Mr. Taylor said.
“Caring for animals through GAP teaches the principles of discipline and responsibility that are beneficial for inmates to focus on as they strive to change their behavior.”
