LOCKPORT, N.Y. — Service dogs for veterans will be trained in Niagara County Correctional Facility by inmates. The program is an expansion of Pawsitive for Heroes started by WNY Heroes Inc., and is held in partnership with Niagara County Sheriff's Office and Niagara County SPCA.
The dogs will live in the jail with inmates and be trained by them. A dog trainer Josh Knop will be in the jail training the dog with the inmates.
After 10 months, the trained dogs will be given to veterans in Western New York who are medically referred to the program.
The program will also teach inmates how to train services dogs to possibly allow them to continue the service after they are released. It will also give the inmates purpose and help reform them in preparation to their return to society, according to program director, Lynn Magistrale.
WNY Heroes plans on expanding the program to other state facilities and will announce participating locations when those programs start.
Pawsitive for Heroes began in 2014 and pays for service dog training. The dogs and their owners attend training courses together to prepare the dogs to serve their veterans.
WNY Heroes was started in 2007 and provides financial assistance to veterans and their families in need.
