The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office recently implemented a new program that allows inmates to assist with the operations of the FCSO Pet Adoption and Resource Center.
FCSO Public Information Officer Stacie Miller said the initiative allows inmates in its Residential Abuse Treatment Program to assist PARC staff with daily cleanings for the center, but also develop life skills as they work to fight substance abuse.
“We take high risk, high need offenders who have a history of substance abuse and crime, and they're specifically chosen to go into this program, and they are provided an opportunity to grow with different skill sets,” Miller said. “They get some counseling and learn how to kick the addiction and [are] able to get some kind of skill that they can use once they get outside of the jail.”
The program, which was established in June, comes after FCSO officially took over the pet resource center in April. It is the newest program for the RSAT. The resource joins the agency’s Pups with Pourpurpose program, which allows inmates to train animals that are brought into the jail.
Miller said the inmates' contributions to the center allows staff to dedicate more time to helping pets find their forever homes.
“We can utilize inmate labor rather than having to hire more and more staff,” Miller said. “So we have very specific staff that will be hired for the animal shelter and that way the inmates can focus on the cleaning and the staff at PARC can focus on the welfare of the animals, getting them more adoptable.”
All inmates are supervised by a certified deputy while at the center. In addition to pet-related programs, RSAT also allows inmates to develop skills by screen printing t-shirts for the agency.
