After 13 years of successful partnerships between inmates and canines, the Gwinnett County Jail Dogs Program is closing its doors this Friday. The program, which has facilitated the adoption of 1,500 cats and dogs, is shutting down due to a major facility reconstruction and an increase in the number of inmates requiring medical attention for various issues, including drug detoxification.
Chief Cleo Atwater of the Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office cited the proximity of the Jail Dogs Program to the in-facility hospital as a factor in the decision. "Seconds count for response, so we need to make sure that they’re close to our first responders," Atwater said according to Fox 5 Atlanta. Out of the 2,250 inmates at the jail, nearly 25% require specialized medical care, presenting a challenge that outweighs the continuation of the program.
11Alive reported that the end of this program coincides with the closure of Fulton County's Canine Cellmates program earlier this year, exacerbating an animal overcrowding crisis in Georgia. Advocates are particularly concerned about the impact on both the inmates and the animals.
"He has never met a human stranger; he loves everybody. No person goes unlicked," Gwinnett Jail Dogs Volunteer Lori Cronin said of Tien, the last dog in need of a home from Cell Block C. Cronin, in an interview with 11Alive, emphasized the program's positive impact on recidivism, stating, "They don't come back. We are able to find their programs and they're finding their way." The stark loss of this resource comes at what animal welfare advocates say is the "worst possible time," as described by Canine Cellmates Founder Susan Jacobs-Meadows.
In the face of this closure, Cronin and Jacobs-Meadows are collaborating to find a solution for the animals and the convict caregivers alike. "Not once did they say, what's going to happen to me? What's going on? It's always, 'What's going to happen to the dogs?' They all said how this has basically saved their lives," Cronin shared with 11Alive. The pair are now racing against time to see Tien adopted into a forever home before the program's end today.
