Over the past weekend, the Georgia Department of Corrections announced that eight prison inmates at Walker State Prison in Rock Spring earned on the job training certificates in Animal Care Taking as Animal Trainers.  A ceremony was held at the correctional facility to recognize the offenders for their achievement.

The eight inmates were the first to participate and earn the on the job training certificates after the seven-week program was launched in January of this year.  Walker State Prison is working with the Walker County Animal Shelter to provide the training for the inmates.

The program is designed to provide inmates with the opportunity to give back to the community by fostering and caring for homeless shelter dogs. In addition, inmates will learn a new skill set used to provide basic obedience training for the dogs.

Over the course of the seven-week program, inmates are selected as handlers/trainers for the dogs. Two inmates are assigned to each dog. The dogs live in the dorm with their handlers and receive around the clock interaction. The Walker County Animal Shelter chooses which dogs participate in the program and those dogs arrive at the prison fully vetted and ready to begin their training.

A trainer visits the prison once a week to teach the inmates the different skills they need in order to train the dogs while in their care.

After the seven-week program, the dogs will are available for adoption. Adopters will be screened and pre-approved by Walker County Animal Shelter.