The Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office announced Monday it will temporarily suspend its long-running Jail Dogs program as it restructures the Gwinnett County Jail to ensure a high standard of care for inmates who are chronically ill or those dealing with mental health challenges.
In a press release, the sheriff's office said the Jail Dogs program began in 2010 as a partnership between the Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office and the Society of Humane Friends.
The agency said the Gwinnett County Jail is currently comprised of two buildings, the Wimberly Tower, which opened in 2006, and the Plunkett Building, which opened in 1991. There are currently about 2,250 inmates housed in the facility.
"Of this population, 25 percent require specialized treatment for long-term medical conditions, ambulatory limitations, those facing suicidal ideations, and others requiring advanced care, such as medically assisted treatment for the withdrawal of opioid and alcohol usage," the release said.
Due to the growing population, the agency is in the process of refurbishing, modernizing and updating several areas of the facility to consolidate those requiring specialized custodial resources near its in-house hospital.
"Our goal is to eliminate unreasonable barriers to inmates needing specialty care," the release said. "The unit currently housing the Jail Dogs Program is in close proximity to our hospital and will be reallocated to individuals whose conditions require them to be located on the first floor with direct access to our hospital."
The agency said it searched for an alternative location for the Jail Dogs program, but it could not find one.
The program has helped adopt approximately 1,500 cats and dogs from shelters, as well as provided numerous inmates with vocational skills they can use once released from custody.
"The Sheriff’s Office is proud of the success of this program and has tremendous appreciation for the countless volunteers and employees, as well as citizens who have supported this initiative for more than a decade," the release said.
The agency said it held a meeting with executives from the Society of Humane Friends to establish their goal to continue to invest in therapeutic programs. They are working to find adoptive homes for the remaining dogs.
"Any dogs not adopted prior to this closure will be fostered in a new location," the release said. "While the temporary suspension of the program is not ideal, it will allow us to ensure we provide an optimal environment for all inmates. This decision was made after careful consideration, and once it is feasible, the Jail Dogs Program will be reestablished."
Anyone interested in adopting the remaining jail dogs (Kaiser, Nala, Rocky and Tien) should visit the Society of Humane Friends website.
