Mobility dog training programme in prisons

Corrections Minister Phil Goff today launched a new programme in prisons which involves inmates helping train mobility dogs to help people in the community.

Prisoners at Auckland Region Women’s Corrections Facility (ARWCF) will work in conjunction with the Mobility Dogs Assistance Trust to raise and train puppies to become mobility assistance dogs. These dogs assist people with physical disabilities with carrying out day to day tasks.

“These dogs provide invaluable help to disabled people in the community. They are trained to do tasks such as to pick up phones and open doors for people with physical disabilities that can’t do these things for themselves,” Phil Goff said.

“Today the programme gets underway with two puppies in the first intake. There is a growing demand for these dogs and the Trust needs to source additional trainers, training facilities and housing for the dogs during training. This require an expansion of the programme and prisoners are ready to help.

“This will directly benefit the community and disabled people. But also gives selected prisoners the opportunity to learn new skills, a sense of personal pride and the opportunity to put something back into society”, Phil Goff said.