High Security Cats
April 2, 2021 7:07 AM Subscribe
There are long running programs in many US prisons that allow inmates to adopt cats either formally or informally. Cats in Bangkwang Prison, Indiana. Eddyville Cats in Kentucky State. Cuddly Catz in Larch Corrections Center near Yacolt, Washington. Lock Up Raw report Youtube. HLN report on Youtube. Cats that Rule the World youtube episode (cats start at 3:48)
36 states have prison-based animal programming at 159 facilities. Of the 34 sites with service animal training, 80% involve the animal being in the inmate’s care 24 hours a day. [2006] Fox59 report of program at Pendleton Correctional.
Are the cats safe?
36 states have prison-based animal programming at 159 facilities. Of the 34 sites with service animal training, 80% involve the animal being in the inmate’s care 24 hours a day. [2006] Fox59 report of program at Pendleton Correctional.
Are the cats safe?
“There’s no more risk of the animals being hurt in prison than there is when we adopt to the normal public,” says Maleah Stringer, the executive director of the Animal Protection League in Anderson, Indiana. “The guys stay out of trouble because they know if they get in trouble, they’re going to lose the program. We’ve had more issues with mistreated animals coming back from adoptions than we ever do from the prison program.”Major Cabanaw, Corrections Officer in charge of Indiana State Prison:
“Of course, we always want to ensure the safety of the cats, and the staff is great about keeping an eye out for them. But mostly, it’s the offenders keeping them safe. I have never once seen an offender kill his own cat. We screen them to be sure they have no history of animal abuse. But I’ll tell you this, there was a guy killed in here because he had spit soda pop onto someone else’s cat.”[If you go searching for more information be aware not everyone happy about the situation. Many reports showing cats in prison garner negative results and not from animal welfare concerns but because people are outraged prisoners have nice things. Despite the fact that many prison pet programs often have cats that are otherwise unadoptable or feral]
people are outraged prisoners have nice things
These outraged people make me outraged. The prison system is inhumane, not to mention the "justice" system that locks people up.
For anyone tempted to think of prisoners as horrible guilty pieces of scum who don't deserve basic life necessities, look at this.
If you have never experienced incarceration and have never had someone you love locked up, you are among the privileged few.
Rant over. I love the cat programs, thank you for posting this.
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 9:28 AM on April 2, 2021 [13 favorites]
These outraged people make me outraged. The prison system is inhumane, not to mention the "justice" system that locks people up.
For anyone tempted to think of prisoners as horrible guilty pieces of scum who don't deserve basic life necessities, look at this.
If you have never experienced incarceration and have never had someone you love locked up, you are among the privileged few.
Rant over. I love the cat programs, thank you for posting this.
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 9:28 AM on April 2, 2021 [13 favorites]
This is a beautiful thing. I think it's a fundamental human need to be able to care for someone or something else and I'm glad these prisoners are getting a chance to do that. If I was on a parole board, this would definitely influence my decision "Oh, Prisoner X has taken care of a cat named Snowball for 5 years now? Get them both out of here and into a nice little apartment in the town of their choice and whatever else they need. Best wishes to them both."
posted by Jess the Mess at 9:31 AM on April 2, 2021 [12 favorites]
posted by Jess the Mess at 9:31 AM on April 2, 2021 [12 favorites]
I too love the cat program, a touch of nature and humanity in what is often a brutal place. How could anyone resent this? Good for the cats, good for the incarcerated people. We need more of this, also programs with dogs.
posted by mermayd at 11:02 AM on April 2, 2021 [5 favorites]
posted by mermayd at 11:02 AM on April 2, 2021 [5 favorites]
This is great and it is good for both cats and humans, but there is no Bangkwang Prison in Indiana. The article is misleading, it talks about feral cats at Bangkwang (in Bangkok) then shifts to discuss a similar cat-inmate program at a correctional facility in Indiana.
posted by caution live frogs at 11:23 AM on April 2, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by caution live frogs at 11:23 AM on April 2, 2021 [4 favorites]
Neat! I was aware of dog training programs (also awesome) but cat programs are new to me.
I haven't worked veterinary care events with any prisoner dog training programs but I have friends who have. They said the dogs are -perfect-, the prisoners are (rightfully) proud as hell and those are always the first dogs adopted at the shelter when they go back. That particular program is unfortunately very competitive (like many great prison programs run by volunteers) so lots of (gentlemen in this case) aren't able to participate because the waiting list is so long.
Thank you for posting, I wouldn't have run across it otherwise!
posted by esoteric things at 9:14 PM on April 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
I haven't worked veterinary care events with any prisoner dog training programs but I have friends who have. They said the dogs are -perfect-, the prisoners are (rightfully) proud as hell and those are always the first dogs adopted at the shelter when they go back. That particular program is unfortunately very competitive (like many great prison programs run by volunteers) so lots of (gentlemen in this case) aren't able to participate because the waiting list is so long.
Thank you for posting, I wouldn't have run across it otherwise!
posted by esoteric things at 9:14 PM on April 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
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Though cat program is a bit unique.
posted by kschang at 7:36 AM on April 2, 2021