The Prison Dog Program offers shelter dogs a second chance and provides incarcerated participants with purposeful vocational training. Under the supervision of professional trainers, inmates teach dogs foundational obedience, advanced tasks, and public-access skills tailored to veterans’ needs. Trained dogs move into our In‑House pathway for final socialization and task refinement before being matched with combat‑disabled veterans. Your gift pays for dog care, veterinary services, training supplies, trainer supervision, and the logistics needed to move dogs from jail‑based cohorts into veteran placements.
“Working Dogs For Vets didn’t just give me a dog; they gave me a reason to look forward.”
— Army Veteran Westley Johnson
After two deployments and a medical retirement, Army Veteran Westley Johnson returned home carrying wounds the uniform didn’t show. Crowds, loud noises, and leaving the house could be overwhelming. Working Dogs For Vets matched Westley with Hero, a prison‑trained dog who provided crucial mobility support and emotional steadiness. When Hero died of brain cancer, WDFV re‑committed to Westley and found him JuneBug — a rescue trained in a prison cohort, then refined in our In‑House Program to meet Westley’s specific needs: night‑terror interruption, anxiety grounding, and balance support. The first night with JuneBug, Westley slept eight hours straight for the first time in years. The first trip to a store without panic proved he wasn’t alone. JuneBug wasn’t just a tool — she rebuilt trust. Your gift helps rescue dogs find purpose, gives incarcerated trainers meaningful vocational work, and returns independence to veterans like Westley.
Why your donation matters
• Rescue dogs receive lifelong veterinary care and intensive task training.
• Incarcerated handlers gain vocational skills, purpose, and rehabilitation opportunities.
• Veterans receive tailored service dogs that restore mobility, safety, and daily independence.
• Gifts fund transport, extended socialization, trainer time, and ongoing veteran support.
Suggested impact tiers (one‑line blurbs you can paste)
• $50 — Training Snacks: treats and enrichment for JuneBug‑level training.
• $100 — Supplies & Grooming: leashes, harnesses, and basic equipment for a training session.
• $200 — Preventive Vet Care: vaccinations and routine care for one dog.
• $500 — Training Session Sponsor: funds one trainer‑led training day.
• $1,000 — Veteran Support Pack: travel, lodging, and bonding instruction for a veteran/dog match.
• $3,000 — Advanced Task Training: funds specialized weeks of PTSD or mobility tasking.
• $12,000 — Full Dog Sponsorship: underwrites a dog’s full path from shelter → prison cohort → In‑House finish → veteran placement.