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Humane punishment Photo by Roy Musitelli Randy Jones and Danny Rivera, inmates at the Community Justice Work Center, exercise two dogs being held at the county's animal shelter. Jackson County inmates learn lessons in life - and loss - working with animals By Jill Briskey Animals at the Jackson County shelter have a lot in common with the people who care for them. By taking charge of the abandoned, caged and discarded, inmates (called trustees) from the county's work release program empathize with unwanted pets in a way many people can't. "I wish I could adopt them all," trustee Randy Jones said of the many dogs, cats, rabbits and a pot-bellied pig he cares for at the shelter. "They're so happy to have attention." Jones, who is serving time for a theft conviction, is part of a 25-year-old program that trains inmates from the Community Justice Work Center to provide humane care to unwanted animals. The work gives inmates a first-hand look at the consequences of a poorly made decision. It's also a chance to see how innocent victims suffer because of the actions of others. Those hard lessons are often compounded by the Christmas holiday. Trustee Sam Fulton was devastated when his favorite dog - an 80-pound mutt named Delilah - was put to sleep last week. She had an aggressive streak, he said, but Delilah always behaved for him. Fulton said that maybe it's for the best. Now that she's gone, Delilah will never be mistreated or suffer, he added. "They're all good puppies. They need homes," said Fulton, who was convicted of intoxicated driving. "But if they adopt a dog, they best know what's going on. It's not a novelty. It takes a lot of devotion." Community Justice Director Bob Grindstaff said inmates learn more than job skills when they work at the shelter. "There's something very healing about working with animals," Grindstaff said. "It has made a lot of difference (in the lives of inmates)." According to shelter director Colleen Macuk, the trustees perform many jobs - they clean kennels, groom long-haired rabbits, bathe dogs, feed cats and give affection to animals in desperate need of it. "We make them feel like part of the crew. When they earn that, it really makes a win-win deal," she said. "Some have come back to volunteer, some have gone on to work with animals in other jobs, and many (learned to) work as a team for the first time in their lives, which helped them see what they can do." Caring for shelter animals is a job that can become difficult for the trustees over the holiday season. Although adoptions typically increase, it's hard for the inmates to know that many of the animals in their care won't have homes for the holidays. "It seems that the holidays brings a mix of emotions for them. Some are so happy to be a part of the team," Macuk said. "Others do miss family and find it hard but also feel grateful to be working and not just sitting in jail." Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.