Prison Pet Partnership

Tongue out Tacoma! One of our favorite ways to spend a Friday night is checking in on Team Leo & Shannon at Tacoma Community Boat Builders! It was so awesome to see youth back in the building and Leo back on the job last night! 🛶 🐕‍🦺 (at Tacoma Community Boat Builders) https://www.instagram.com/p/CRb85T6LwJv/?utm_medium=tumblr

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY! We were able to visit Team Tobin & Austen today in Portland for their 90-day evaluation. No surprise to us, they passed and are doing wonderful together! Good work, team! 👏 https://www.instagram.com/p/CRILl8Orccp/?utm_medium=tumblr

Today’s check-in with Team Cody & Liam brought exciting news! Liam is wagging all over, because Cody graduated from UW last month with a BA in Communications and has a job lined up already!!!🎉😃 👏 Congrats! https://www.instagram.com/p/CQZXFvTjzVw/?utm_medium=tumblr

Hear former PPP groomer, Starr, share her story of learning to groom while incarcerated, her frustrating road blocks with post-release employment, and her positivity for her future and some solid advice! 🌟 We’re so honored to support Starr with her goals and are so proud to report that she was hired full time at a supportive local groom shop. Don’t miss this interview with Mary Oquendo, local pet industry pioneer! 🐾 https://www.spreaker.com/user/8190827/starr-lake https://www.instagram.com/p/CQPmx-_jv8G/?utm_medium=tumblr

We enjoyed some nice weather ☀️while checking in on Team Jerry & Indi who are doing great! Their recertification is coming up soon and we know they’ll do great! 🐾❤️ https://www.instagram.com/p/CP6QOMMDbBp/?utm_medium=tumblr

🌟A STARR IN THE MAKING! 🌟We are so dang proud of former PPP groomer and trainer, Starr for all that she’s accomplished in the past month after reentering! This woman is on a roll! She just accepted a job at a beautiful new groom studio where she will get to use her advanced knowledge in pet care as well as her awesome groom skills. Thanks to Master Groomer and Instructor Tami, Starr was able to do a little skill refreshing and groom Godiva, a pup she used to groom on the inside! You’re amazing Starr- keep shining! We can’t wait to see the places you will go! 👏🐾❤️ https://www.instagram.com/p/CO0qBFPDQ2l/?igshid=19kbx9z97cnyc

It’s day two of #givebig! Yesterday we spent some time with PPP service dog, Seamus, in Oregon. This very special pup and his person needed some extra support during the last year due to COVID to keep Seamus on quality food and joint supplements and PPP was so happy to provide that to this team thanks to your support! Your donations assist in keeping our teams happy, healthy and supported! (at Redmond, Oregon) https://www.instagram.com/p/COf5F3hjrLY/?igshid=1rb5ccdds9tdo

When your work day involves 12 hours of driving, you make time to let the dogs stop and smell the roses (and sage, river and wildflowers)! 🐾🌿🌼 What’s your favorite PNW dog-friendly spot to visit? ⛅️ 💦 #servicedog #servicedogintraining #dogtrainerlife #prisonpetpartnership #germanshepherd #labradorretriever (at Wild Horses Monument) https://www.instagram.com/p/CNtBn97hStQ/?igshid=1rs0buqwfy506

Did you know that Gig Harbor has a mutual aid group now? The women in our program have donated handmade warm goods and toiletries for the greater GH/Purdy community! 💜 Posted @withregram • @mutualaidgigharbor Our very first distribution event couldn’t have been any better! We were able to distribute care packages, blankets, food, toiletries, and so many more donated items. A big thanks to @prisonpetpartnership, @tacomamutualaid, and other community members who were gracious enough to donate to our efforts. We are in the midst of setting up another distro event set up so be on the lookout! image description: three volunteers set up at two tables with free goods to distribute to anyone who wants it. The signs in front of the table read “Gig Harbor Mutual Aid Collective” and “Free” https://www.instagram.com/p/CNTPiGfBwYO/?igshid=1nf606cwj0uzl

LEVEL UP | Freedom for Alyssa! Everyone at PPP couldn't be happier that former groomer and trainer, Alyssa was released from WCCW last week. She expressed that she is both overwhelmed and overjoyed and is already making the most out of every day. She starts her new groomer job in a few weeks and we were so pleased to award her a scholarship for a full set of grooming tools, supplies, and uniform to get her started. Alyssa is a skilled painter, yoga instructor, creative groomer, and all-around amazing human. Leveling up is about shifting your mind and following that up with powerful actions and Alyssa knows just how to do that. We have a feeling that powerful shifts in Alyssa's life have only just begun. Keep shinging bright, Alyssa! You got this! https://www.instagram.com/p/CNBdt5hFEbZ/?igshid=rmtn28nhcgzo

PUBLIC ACCESS TEST - PASSED! ✅ One step closer to certification, Team Tobin & Austen did great today. Luckily, the sun came out today and Kim was able to enjoy a walk with the whole family, including Tobin’s partner and their two pups- Flower and Bella. 💐🌻Up next is the home skills tests! You got this guys! 🐕‍🦺 (at Portland, Oregon) https://www.instagram.com/p/CM-1r8aBplR/?igshid=10nkluy4irv7l

TEAM SINCE DAY ONE | We’re in Portland right now working with Team Austen & Tobin! It’s been a busy few days training and practicing skills like hand signals, using elevators and stairs, brace, and retrieve with visits to the barber shop, grocery store, pet and hardware stores and they are doing outstanding! 👏🐾👏 More updates on skills tests coming up over the next few days but for now...good work Tobin & Austen! And shoutout to Michelle, Austen’s incarcerated trainer, Austen’s fosters and all the helping hands and paws that have worked and contributed to building this team! (at Portland, Oregon) https://www.instagram.com/p/CM8EXhQBC1D/?igshid=qi2183akxr53

CERTIFIED! 🎉👏Congrats to Team Leah & Angelou on passing their home skills tests and making it official this week! Angelou did a great job of demonstrating his ability to “tug” on the refrigerator, “get & give” a dropped spoon and Disabled Parking placard, and “brace” Leah for moving from sitting to standing and vice versa. It’s just so dang sweet to see how much Angelou loves Leah and her husband Chris. Angelou always has his head on Leah’s lap and clearly adores her. Chris is already very guilty of spoiling Angelou with new toys and beds. This team is a heart melter for sure! Congrats and gratitude to incarcerated trainers Renee and Heather V and to Angelou’s long time foster Heather W for all the work and care they put into changing these lives. Go Team, go! (at Port Orchard, Washington) https://www.instagram.com/p/CMnFRIujunr/?igshid=wc10uib96l3k

LIFE IS SO MUCH BIGGER THAN THIS PLACE 💙 On Fridays we send updates to all of the women in our program. This week, our Community Engagement Coordinator, Sarah, also asked them to find “awe” in something, wether it be in nature or even a pattern on the wall. As COVID restrictions tighten, and programming and movement is reduced at the facility, this activity assists in finding beauty in the boring, curiosity in the monotony, and to practice the simple act of noticing. Beautifully, the sky seems to resonate for a few... “I FIND AWE IN THE CLOUDS, NEVER THE SAME, ALWAYS BEAUTIFUL EVEN WHEN ANGRY BEFORE A STORM.” -Karen 🌧 🌥 “FAR BEYOND THESE FENCES AND I AM REMINDED THAT LIFE IS SO MUCH BIGGER THEN THIS PLACE. I AM IN AWE OF THE BEAUTY OF THE SKY COLORS THAT EVER REMIND ME OF THE VASTNESS OF LIFE.”-Heather 💙 Where and when are you remembering to find awe these days? 🌥 Activity inspired by the work of poet Jacqueline Suskin and image is of WCCW by Eman Mohammed for NPR. https://www.instagram.com/p/CMgFPY7DfSL/?igshid=4oxmk8ylenfw

ONE STEP CLOSER! Team Leah & Angelou passed their Public Access skills tests with flying colors! The purpose of a public access test is to demonstrate BOTH that the handler (Leah) has skilled and knowledgeable control of the dog and that the dog (Angelou) can stay focused and well behaved in public, despite distractions. Check out these videos and with the sound on, you can hear PPP’s service Dog manager, Kim, giving direction and feedback. This team demonstrated #1: “Brace” (for when Leah needs physical balance and support), #2: Resisting distraction (from a strange dog), #3: Staying calm (even with loud noises and movement); #4: getting the car to go home! Good job team! They have one more skills test - this time in the home. If all goes well, we’ll be celebrating the big C-word! 🐕‍🦺👏🐕‍🦺 P.S. shout out to volunteers Turi & Marc for being our distractors and to their pup Griffen, who played the “strange dog” for Angelou but who is no stranger to PPP’s boarding program (we miss you, Griff 😭)! 🐾🖤🐾 #servicedogintraining #servicedog #servicedogsofinstagram #blacklab #blacklabrador #goodboy #prisonpetpartnership #prisonpups (at Gig Harbor, Washington) https://www.instagram.com/p/CMdlA6lDfbF/?igshid=1h0n9dt3kyb5z