Pen Pals

The Pen Pals program was first introduced at the James River Correctional Center located at State Farm, Virginia, in April 2001.  Since then, SOS has successfully introduced the program to five other Virginia correctional centers, including the Buckingham Correctional Center, Brunswick Correctional Center, Lunenberg Correctional Center, Fluvanna Correctional Center and Central Virginia Correctional Unit.

Professional trainers, working with SOS Pen Pals, select dogs rom shelters and rescue organizations.  Before entering the correctional facility, the animals are spayed or neutered, vaccinated and tested and treated for intestinal parasites and, if necessary, for heartworms.

While at the correctional center, the animals live with inmate handlers carefully selected to participate in the program.  As well as provide for the animals' every need, the dog handlers socialize and train the dogs.  Many of the animals participating in SOS Pen Pals have never known love or stability until they enter the correctional centers.

With SOS Pen Pals, the inmate handlers are given an opportunity to return something positive back to the community –a healthy, well adjusted and socialized animal companion.  The handlers obtain a feeling of satisfaction and pride by knowing that they are helping the animals.  Other benefits for the handlers include enhanced self esteem, the opportunity to learn teamwork and new job skills, improved communication skills with fellow inmates and correctional center personnel, and increased morale throughout the center.  They also experience the unconditional love of a pet.

Thanks to their efforts, over 4,000 dogs and cats have been adopted since the program’s inception.

SOS Pen Pals focuses on positive reinforcement training techniques, including clicker training.  The SOS Pen Pals trainers prepare materials and conduct classes with the handlers so that they also become knowledgeable in areas such as canine healthcare, safety, social structures and behavior.  Upon graduating, the dogs are crate trained, leash trained and responsive to voice commands and hand signals.  Many of the SOS Pen Pals dogs later obtain their Canine Good Citizenship certification with their new families.

SOS Pen Pals has been featured nationally in stories by the Associated Press, the Animal Planet cable TV network and Dog Fancy magazine.