On an overcast afternoon at Stafford Creek Corrections Center in Aberdeen, the newest arrivals weren’t wearing the standard prison uniform of khaki shirts and pants.
They arrived with wagging tails, nylon leashes and an eagerness to learn. Through a new partnership with Timber Tails K9 Rescue based in Oakville, six dogs and six puppies are now living inside the prison as part of the Freedom Tails program.
Timber Tails K9 rescue is a non-profit organization that rescues and rehabs abandoned dogs in Grays Harbor County and helps them find forever homes.
Adult dogs will live with incarcerated individuals in their living units for 12 weeks. The incarcerated individuals will serve as the dogs’ primary caregivers, offering socialization, feeding, exercise and training. Adult dogs will complete an American Kennel Club, AKC, Canine Good Citizen certification. The AKC Canine Good Citizen test is a nationally recognized standard that assesses a dog’s behavior, obedience, and social skills. Dogs are evaluated on everyday situations — from walking through a crowd, to staying relaxed around distractions.
Puppies stay with their incarcerated handlers for six weeks. Their handlers will prepare them to earn the AKC’s S.T.A.R. puppy certification, which is designed to get puppies off to a good start with basic training and socialization. S.T.A.R stands for socialization, training, activity and responsible owner. Upon completion, puppies earn a certificate and medal for demonstrating abilities like walking well on a leash and coming when called.
The program prepares the dogs for successful adoption into permanent homes, while incarcerated handlers build skills, responsibility and confidence to support their reentry into the community.
“To be able to have an animal that we’re responsible for, everything from grooming to feeding. His life is in our hands and that’s a big responsibility,” says Gordon Pete Stacy, who is currently a handler for a large husky mix named Cyrus.
He has trained three other dogs through Freedom Tails and says the dogs’ progress encourages incarcerated participants to focus on growth and positive change in their own reentry journeys.
“It teaches us a lot, and it does transform us and it’s really rewarding,” Stacy said.
After completing the program, the dogs will transition to local foster homes while awaiting adoption. Interested adopters can apply now, as the organization’s goal is to have permanent homes lined up by the time training ends.
About 473 dogs have come Freedom Tails since it launched in 2009 through partnerships with local animal rescues. In 2017, the Washington State Veterinary Medical Association selected Freedom Tails as a recipient of its Humane Animal Welfare Award, which is given to non-veterinary community members who have advanced animal welfare through extraordinary service.
Anyone interested in adopting any dogs in the Freedom Tails program, or any others through Timber Tails K9 Rescue can fill out an application form on their website. After you fill out the form, an adoption coordinator will contact you for the next steps.
A German Shepherd mix named Brodie checks out the cell of the incarcerated individual who will serve as his handler for the next 12 weeks while he receives training through the Freedom Tails program at Stafford Creek Corrections Center.
Husky mix Cyrus licks his snout while Benny, a yellow lab scratches an itch inside the lobby at Stafford Creek Corrections Center. The dogs will live with incarcerated handlers for 12 weeks where they’ll receive obedience training as part of the Freedom Tails program.
