New Mexico Inmates Train Shelter Dogs for Veterans in Partnership Program
Inmates across New Mexico are participating in a statewide program, in partnership with the nonprofit Paws and Stripes and the Department of Corrections, to train shelter dogs for veterans needing animal-assisted therapy.
Albuquerque Santa Fe, NM, September 21, 2026 —
A statewide initiative in New Mexico is bringing together inmates, a nonprofit organization, and the Department of Corrections to provide therapeutic support for veterans. The program involves inmates training shelter dogs, preparing them to serve as animal-assisted therapy partners for veterans.
The program is a collaborative effort between the nonprofit organization Paws and Stripes and the New Mexico Department of Corrections. Through this partnership, inmates are actively engaged in the process of rehabilitating and training dogs sourced from shelters. These trained animals are then intended to be placed with veterans who can benefit from animal-assisted therapy.
Details regarding the specific number of inmates participating, the locations of correctional facilities involved, or the number of dogs currently in training were not provided in the available information. The timeline for the program’s inception or duration was also not specified.
The core objective of the initiative is to address two distinct needs: providing a rehabilitative and purposeful activity for inmates and offering vital therapeutic assistance to veterans. Animal-assisted therapy has been shown to provide numerous benefits for individuals dealing with physical or mental health challenges, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression.
Paws and Stripes, the nonprofit partner, focuses on connecting service dogs with individuals in need. By working with the correctional system, the program aims to expand its reach and impact. The Department of Corrections supports the program by facilitating inmate participation and providing the necessary environment for the training to take place within correctional facilities. The specifics of the training curriculum or the criteria for dog selection were not detailed.
Further information concerning the deployment of the trained dogs to veterans, the application process for veterans seeking a therapy dog, or the long-term outcomes of the program were not immediately available.
Story summarized from the original created by Natasha Lynn on www.krqe.com, see more information here.
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