Meet Chester. He was running in the streets. Now he's in prison.
But it's all good!
Now 7 months old, Chester was pretty much still a puppy when his wild ways landed him in the shelter. Luckily for him, Friends of the Animal Community, an all-volunteer rescue group dedicated to helping Tuolumne County shelter animals, took him in. His friendly personality and playful nature won him a lot of fans, but it soon became obvious he had not one clue when it came to obedience training.
But hey, no problem, as Chester is now one of nine FOAC dogs participating in the PUPP (Prisoners Uniting People and Puppies) program's fourth training class. It's a win-win collaboration with local correctional institutions in which inmates who volunteer for the program spend an intensive 12 weeks living and working with dogs who may need a bit more social polish or confidence-building before they're ready for their forever homes. The dogs spend the time building the skills they need to earn their AKC Canine Good Citizen certificate, which makes them such attractive adoption prospects that they often have homes lined up before they graduate.
There's still time to snap up this sweet little Catahoula mix guy with the pretty eyes—he's about 40 pounds, pretty much loves everybody, and is going to be quite a gem with his new skills. Graduation isn't till June, but the young students will be able to spend trial weekends with their prospective families starting in late May. If you think you might have a spot for him in your heart and home, fill out the application here!
