In a move that is warming hearts across Yolo County, the Probation Department and Animal Services are teaming up to offer a fresh start to both at-risk youth and abandoned kittens. The initiative, named "Paws for Change," places the responsibility of kitten care directly in the hands of young detainees at the Juvenile Detention Facility (JDF), tasking them with the feeding, cleaning, and general nurturing of their feline charges. "I am incredibly excited about this opportunity to highlight the importance of kitten fosters," Director Stephanie Amato of Yolo County Animal Services told Yolo County News.
The program has already seen the arrival of its first litter of kittens, which took place on June 7 and is set to continue fostering new litters as they become available, a brainchild of Probation Division Manager Michelle Vermette and supervised by Melissa Elliott, along with Amato and shelter staff. The first litter is to stay at the JDF until June 25, with one kitten reportedly being adopted by Chief Probation Officer Rachelle Gayton. This collaboration aims to truly make a lasting impact by having youth to literaly care for something other than themselves, thereby fostering a sense of empathy and responsibility.
Remarkably, the program boasts no disciplinary issues amongst all participating youth since its inception. Kids in the program have completed an empathy assessment, with plans to keep track of their personal development, every six months. Comments from the participating youth highlight the program's effect on them: "This has made it feel like a real home-like environment," and "The kittens are really funny and make my day a little happier. Doing this makes me want to help others and volunteer more," as they explained to Yolo County News.
Support for this innovative program stems from the top, with Chief Probation Officer Rachelle Gayton expressing thrill in having the JDF youth partake in the kitten fostering program. "It’s a meaningful opportunity for them to build empathy, responsibility, and a sense of purpose through caring for vulnerable animals," Gayton stated to Yolo County News. As the "Paws for Change" program seeks to grow further, the community is encouraged to support its success. Anyone interested in contributing can consider donating to Yolo County Animal Services or learning more about their current donation needs by visiting www.YoloShelter.org or calling (530) 668-5287.
