The New York Times has a story about dogs trained and used in prisons to socialize inmates spending a weekend a month with outside families that don't have time for a full-time dog. From the story, here's a quote:
But Ms. Stoga realized that the dogs needed to experience life beyond prison walls. There are no small children in prison, no traffic, no gourmet-store cheese displays within a tongue's lash."Just going home to a person's apartment is different," she explains. "Having rugs. Having sofas and chairs. Dishwashers, doorbells, coffee grinders. Everyday noises that aren't heard in prison."
Hmmm, thought Ms. Stoga, a Manhattan resident. Hmmm.
If only she knew of a large city where busy people might be willing to take a well-trained dog for a weekend - say, every month or so.
So began the prison puppy shuttle. Now, every Saturday morning, vans leave one or two correctional facilities - this week might be Bedford Hills in Westchester, next week might be Edna Mahan in Clinton, N.J. - and drive to Midtown, where trained volunteers wait to entertain dogs on furlough.