Most of the dogs released from Ridglan Farms, the Dane County breeding and research facility, are in homes across the country or at Big Dog Ranch Rescue in Florida. But four of the beagles are in prison.
Inmates at Alger Correctional Facility in Michigan are helping the beagles learn how to be pets. Deputy Warden Patti Hubble joined Wisconsin’s Midday News to discuss the dog training program.
Of all of the possible avenues to acclimate dogs to life outside of a research facility, Hubble told Wisconsin’s Midday News that the prison system works well because of the constant care inmates are able to provide.
“We have someone here 24/7,” Hubble said. “They have a lot of time to spend with these dogs, the knowledge, and the patience.”
Hubble said many of the beagles had a significant adjustment when they arrived.
“A lot of them hadn’t been on grass,” Hubble said. “They hadn’t been on a leash or a collar other than coming from the shelter, so they had a lot of adjustment outside of our normal dogs that come in.”
The correctional facility has 26 handlers in the program. Hubble said inmates are selected based on their overall institutional history and what they have done in prison.
Those handlers have helped train over 500 dogs to date.
MORE RIDGLAN FARMS COVERAGE FROM WTMJ:
- Historic conclusion at Ridglan Farms: All dogs released
- UW-Madison student group investigated after promoting Ridglan Farms ‘open rescue’ raid
- Big Dog Ranch Rescue details care, adoption plans for Ridglan Farms beagles
- Ridglan Farms beagles to go to Wisconsin Humane Society
- Animal rights activists attempt new break-in at Ridglan Farms one day earlier than planned
