(四) Dogs have long been used to help people with disabilities, particularly the blind.
Unfortunately, it takes about two years and $25,000 to properly train a dog for this
purpose. But in 1997, Gloria Gilbert Stoga established the non-profit organization,
Puppies Behind Bars, so that people in prison, with plenty of time on their hands,
could do most of the training on a voluntary basis.
Many people were nervous about this program at first, especially for the safety of
the dogs in correctional facilities. To ease concerns, Puppies Behind Bars does not let
prisoners guilty of vicious crimes work with any animals. Furthermore, inmates
wishing to participate must endure a thorough interview process so that residents with
violent tendencies can be weeded out.
Once in the program, prisoners must attend bi-weekly training sessions. They
spend the rest of the time just living with their puppies and teaching them basic skills
such as toileting, sitting and standing on command, and simply walking in crowded
areas without getting confused. After sixteen months, the inmates turn their dogs over
to professional dog handlers for the final five months of training.
Judy Goldman was one of the first recipients of a Puppies Behind Bars graduate.
She was so impressed that she visited the prison where the dog was raised to thank the
trainers. “They’re so proud, and they well should be,” she says, “They do an excellent
job.”
Perhaps the greatest beneficiaries of the program are the inmates. While training
the animals, they learn patience and responsibility. Most importantly, they receive the
unconditional love that only a puppy can provide. Prisoner Roosevelt Lewis says of
his dog, “Joshua has given me back my peace of mind.” It seems that Puppies Behind
Bars is giving everyone involved a new “leash on life.”
【題組】71. Which of the following statements about Puppies Behind Bars is true? 9
(A) Inmates pay $25,000 to take part in the program.
(B) Apart from the recipients, what the prisoners gain from the program is
immeasurable.
(C) Judy Goldman benefited a lot from training guide dogs in the prison.
(D) The dogs will be taught more advanced skills by the prisoners in the final five
months of training.