A Unique, Inspirational Prison Dog
Training Program
SAVING MORE THAN DOGS SINCE 2007
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Join us for Yappy Hour
on Saturday, January 29 in San Antonio from 11 - 2:30!
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IN THIS ISSUE
- Grieving the Loss of a Pet
- The Isle of Misfit Dogs
- Why We Vet Adopters
- Great Nonprofit Reviews
- Inmate Testimonial
- Yappy Hour January 29
- Ladies of Charity
- We Give You Thanks
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1. GRIEVING THE LOSS OF A PET
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As a pet parent, you know the day will come when you must say goodbye to your beloved fur baby. Your grief can be overwhelming, especially if it is compounded by the difficult decision to euthanize your pet. If you have ever lost a pet, you understand the grief that follows. Some may not understand or validate your grief - they didn't really know your pet or they may just not be animal lovers. Dr. Karen Becker has written an excellent article that may help you through your hardest grief period. Your friends may care and want to support you, but don't know what they can do.
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Friends of Paws in Prison has created a special certificate as a show of support for those who have lost a dearly loved pet or person. Your gift to Friends of Paws in Prison now provides a way to show love and support and at the same time give dogs and inmates a second chance of life and love. What a wonderful way to honor the memory of a precious pet or person.
To order a certificate and donate on our website, CLICK HERE or mail a check to 1711 S Colorado St., Suite E-204, Lockhart, Tx. 78644. Make certain your payment method includes the following information:
- Whether the certificate is in "Honor Of" (the pet or person is still living) or in "Memory Of" (the pet or person has passed away)
- The name of the pet or person being honored or memorialized
- The donor's name
- Whether you want the certificate sent via email or regular mail. Please make certain we have the correct email address or regular mailing address of the person to receive the certificate.
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2. The Isle of Misfit Dogs |
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The Lockhart Ladies worked hard on a Christmas video to show some of the adoptable dogs in the program in hopes of helping them find their "furever" homes but this project took on a life of its own! The ladies did all the creative props and artwork themselves, working in their "free time" as a group to bring to you " THE ISLE OF MISFIT DOGS." But of course, the dogs had scripts of their own as you will clearly see in the bloopers at the end - keep watching after the credits!
You will see the Lockhart Ladies of 1-Charlie (AKA The Dog Dorm) - their laughter, their creativity, their skill in working with the dogs and each other, gaining self-confidence, patience, working as a team, and most importantly, the reality that they are worthwhile human beings who are very smart and capable of doing whatever they set their minds to do.
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3. Why We Vet Adopters Carefully |
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Paws in Prison has been saving/training abandoned dogs and finding forever homes for them since 2007. The women in our program continue to repeat the common refrain "if these dogs can do it, so can I," referring to the healing that occurs as a result of their love and attention to abandoned, neglected dogs.
But what do you think happens if a dog is returned back into the prison, as our adoption contract requires, if the match doesn't work out? The handlers may feel that they somehow failed the dog, damaging their already precarious self-worth. The dog also has to readjust to the prison environment, which is much more difficult than a home environment. We care about our dogs, the women in our program and the adopters. As a result, we take the responsibility of finding a good match for each dog and adopter very seriously. If you are interested in adopting one of our dogs or know someone who is, you can read the steps required for adoption on the Dog Adoption Page of our website.
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4. We Need Your Five Star Review for 2022! |
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GreatNonprofits is a nonprofit review site like Yelp or TripAdvisor but for nonprofit organizations. Please help raise visibility for our mission by posting a five-star review of your experience with us. All reviews will be visible online to potential donors, grantees, volunteers and adopters.
To receive the 2022 Top-Rated Nonprofit badge we must receive a minimum of 10 five-star reviews each year. Because many of you reviewed us in 2020 and 2021, we were honored to receive the Great Nonprofit Top-Rated badge (shown above) both years. If you have not posted a review, will you please POST YOUR REVIEW to help us get the 2022 Top-Rated Great Nonprofit Badge? It doesn't cost you anything other than a little time to tell others about us. Thank you!
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Lisa and Felicia through the prison fence.
"My name is Lisa Stadelman and I, along with Felicia LeLeux, were Tia Maria's handlers [inmates that train the dogs]. For the two of us, she came at the precise time we needed her.
Felicia and I came into Paws in Prison the same day late in December 2019. We were bunkies for almost a year. After we became seniors in the program [the inmate handlers curriculum progression from freshmen to seniors], we were split up so we could train new participants.
In July of this year, Felicia lost her younger sister Donna to a sudden heart attack. I won't forget that night. She came into my room and was broken. She kept saying over and over, "my sister died Lisa." Together we made it through little pieces of time. I had no idea that within a few short weeks she would be able to reciprocate that support.
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I lost my husband Mark after 32 years of marriage. I couldn't breathe. Felicia had the only words of comfort I was able to hear. I made parole in June but a paperwork glitch in my court order could keep me here for 2 more years if we can't get it corrected.
In September Felicia was denied parole for another year. Then, through God's grace, Ms. Laria decided that training a dog together just might help in the healing process and requested a room change. Ms. Laria brought in Tia Maria on September 13 and with this little bundle of joy and the support of one another, our healing has begun.
It does, in fact, make you wonder, "who saved who?"
Tia Maria was adopted in November 2021.
Tia Maria's new Adoptive Mom
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6. Yappy Hour on Saturday, January 29
in San Antonio!
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Come one come all to Yappy Hour!
January 29th from 11 - 2:30 in the parking lot of Morris Kaye and Sons Furs!
This “mini furfest" is sponsored by Morris Kaye and Sons Furs and all event proceeds will benefit the Paws in Prison dogs to help them find "furever" homes! This fur-family-friendly event only costs $25 dollars to attend and what a bargain - the fee includes snacks, beverages, one raffle ticket for some prizes and an entry into the Dog Look-alike Contest! Yes, your fur babies are invited as long as they are on a leash and well behaved. Additional raffle tickets can be purchased for $25 or 6 for $100. To purchase tickets call 210-820-3877 for the event entrance ticket and/or additional raffle tickets. You can also buy entrance tickets and raffle tickets on the day of the event.
The atmosphere will be fun and festive and you will also have the opportunity to meet some of the Paws in Prison pup graduates.
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Maybe you will be the one to win the Dog Look-alike Contest!
So bundle up and join us for a "pawsitively" fun and
fantastic afternoon!
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7. LADIES OF CHARITY DONATION |
Founded in 1991, the Ladies of Charity – Lake Travis Thrift Shop resells, re-distributes, re-purposes, and recycles donated items. The proceeds support over 25 "boots on the ground" charities, and we are hugely grateful that Friends of Paws in Prison is one of them! In December Janice LeMond (R) with the Ladies of Charity Lake Travis Thrift Shop gifted Friends of Paws in Prison with a $3,000 check towards our veterinary needs and our scholarship fund. If you have any new or gently used items to donate, they will gladly take them off your hands! They even collect dog items for us to take to the dogs in the prison program!
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8. WE GIVE YOU THANKS
We're sorry if we omitted any names from those of you who helped us in December, but we do not always know the names of our Paws in Prison angels! Please let us know who you are if we missed thanking you by sending an email to: Donations@pawsinprison.com so we can personally let you know how grateful we are for your help.
Marcus L, Debbie M, Diana S, Jennifer K, Debbie B, Tia M, Ann and John, Tom and Deana, Phaedra K, Molly F, Jessica C, Facebook Donor(s), Ladies of Charity Lake Travis, Nicholas S, Hang N, Karl G, Lisa C, Harriett W, Ruth T, Gail L, Tricia T, Anthony C, John C, Shelly R, Nicole N, Jackie H, Linda W, Deborah L, Lisa S, Sharon W, Ximena S, Misty C, Vicky W, Desiree I, Sylvia G, Lockhart Ladies of 1-Charlie
Because of YOU, we are SAVING MORE THAN DOGS!
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Mailing Address:
1711 S Colorado ST., Suite E-204,
Lockhart, Texas 78644
Phone: (833) 341-3523
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