An intimate first person non-fiction storytelling experience about incarceration in the United States.
I’ve worked many prison jobs. None have helped me more than working with the dogs. My official job titles have included Dog Handler, Dog Trainer, and for a short one year stint Cat Handler wrangling cats in the now defunct cat program.
Continue reading “Coping With Incarceration Borne PTSD the Canine Way”
I spend my days here working as a dog handler and trainer in the Staff Dog program. On any given day I am in contact with these wonderful creatures, even during days when my clientele are absent. It is a blessing, and I have always thought this. Who am I to deserve such kindness?
Incarceration is difficult, because at the end of the day when you’re lying on your bunk, it’s easy to drift to thought’s of easier and fonder times in life. No matter how you look at it, you are a prisoner by your own actions.
This week’s questions come from Stephanie in London, England who asks me how I cope with doing such a long time, and from Nicole in Perth, Australia who asks about dog programs in American prisons. Thank you Stephanie and Nicole for following, and thank you for these great questions.
Continue reading “#2: Video Fridays in 60 Seconds — Dogs, Long Sentences, and One Day at a Time”
I woke up today to sniffs and licks on my ear from one of the dogs I’m currently caring for. All of them are here for several days as boarders, and there’s nothing more satisfying than to wake to these wonderful animals. I work as an animal trainer in the Staff Dog Program, and as the name implies, each dog is owned by a staffer.