The Greyhound Adoption Program (GAP) and Corrections Victoria are celebrating the 400th greyhound to be fostered at HM Tarrengower Prison.
Tarrengower’s Prison Pet Partnership commenced in 2009 following the success of the program at HM Dhurringile Prison, with the program going from strength to strength over the past 10 years.
The Pet Prison Partnership allows inmates to get involved in socialising greyhounds in order to get them ready for adoption. This includes familiarising them with stairs, walking on lead, noisy household appliances and getting comfortable on the couch.
Greyhound Racing Victoria’s Rehoming Manager Sean Stanton said that the Prison Pet Partnership has been a rewarding and effective initiative.
“The Pet Prison Partnership is an integral part of our foster care program at GAP. We have hundreds of our greyhounds going out to foster care each year, including many through the prisons,” Mr Stanton said.
“The program has gone from strength to strength and it is great to see how passionate both the inmates and staff are in helping get these greyhounds ready for adoption. We usually have around four greyhounds in each prison at any one time, with each greyhound completing four weeks in foster care.
“It is not only the dogs who benefit from the foster care process, as the inmates also thrive on the opportunity to have a four-legged companion.”
Being part of the GAP Foster Care Team is a rewarding experience and is a great way to get to know and understand greyhounds as pets. To find out more about the GAP Foster Care Program please visit https://gap.grv.org.au/volunteering/foster-care
Minister for Corrections Ben Carroll, who visited Tarrengower to celebrate the arrival of the 400th foster, said the program gave prisoners new skills to assist with their rehabilitation and helped reduce their risk of reoffending.
“The Greyhound Adoption Program is just one of many important programs running at Tarrengower Prison that give prisoners new skills to boost their transition back into the community,” Mr Carroll said.
“The program has been running at the prison for the past 10 years and we’ve seen 400 greyhounds given a second chance at life in that time.”
Every Greyhound Has a Story: Prison Pet Partnership
PHOTO: Sean Stanton, GRV Rehoming Manager, Ben Carroll, Minister for Corrections, Bendigo West MP Maree Edwards, Emma Cassar, Commissioner for Corrections Victoria and 400th foster greyhound, Cercie.
