A01=Joan K. Dalton
animal-assisted intervention (AAI)
Author_Joan K. Dalton
canine
Category=DNC
Category=JKVP
Category=JKVQ1
Category=JKVQ2
Category=WNGD
children
criminal justice program
dogs changing boys
dogs in juvenile corrections
eq_bestseller
eq_biography-true-stories
eq_isMigrated=1
eq_isMigrated=2
eq_nobargain
eq_non-fiction
eq_society-politics
incarcerated boys
incarcerated boys and shelter dogs
Joan Dalton memoir
recidivism
rehabilitation of boys and dogs
saving boys
saving dogs
second chance boys
second chance dogs
story of Project POOCH
teenagers
youth
Product details
- ISBN 9781626711051
- Dimensions: 140 x 216mm
- Publication Date: 15 May 2025
- Publisher: Purdue Scholarly Publishing Services
- Publication City/Country: US
- Product Form: Paperback
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Second Chances: The Transformative Relationship Between Incarcerated Youth and Shelter Dogs recounts the story of Project POOCH (Positive Opportunities—Obvious Change with Hounds), a program that united incarcerated boys with unwanted dogs from animal shelters. Both the boys and the dogs were considered undesirable, and few had found love in their lives. As a result of the project, the lives of many youths and dogs changed forever.
The project faced many challenges. The correctional facility administrators needed much convincing before approval was given to start the onsite program with one boy and one dog. At one point, Dalton sold her house to keep the project funded. However, since 1993, over 95 percent of the youths have not returned to corrections once their sentence was served. Some of the boys have gone on to college, and all have been gainfully employed. The POOCH dogs learned basic obedience and went on to become beloved family pets; some even became companion dogs to autistic children, people with physical impairments, and war veterans diagnosed with PTSD. Dalton's own story starts with a family background where her dogs were killed for minor behavioral problems, and leads to teaching incarcerated youth that they deserve unconditional love, first demonstrated by the transformational connection with canines.
The project faced many challenges. The correctional facility administrators needed much convincing before approval was given to start the onsite program with one boy and one dog. At one point, Dalton sold her house to keep the project funded. However, since 1993, over 95 percent of the youths have not returned to corrections once their sentence was served. Some of the boys have gone on to college, and all have been gainfully employed. The POOCH dogs learned basic obedience and went on to become beloved family pets; some even became companion dogs to autistic children, people with physical impairments, and war veterans diagnosed with PTSD. Dalton's own story starts with a family background where her dogs were killed for minor behavioral problems, and leads to teaching incarcerated youth that they deserve unconditional love, first demonstrated by the transformational connection with canines.
Joan K. Dalton's work as a school administrator in Oregon's most strict lockup for incarcerated boys inspired her to start Project POOCH (Positive Opportunities—Obvious Change with Hounds), which involved pairing the boys with problem shelter dogs. Her work has been published in Dog Fancy, Cat Fancy, Our Animal Wards, and Northwest Magazine, and her experience with Project POOCH has been featured on Animal Planet. Currently, Dalton uses her experience as a business teacher and consultant to mentor formerly incarcerated youth. To learn more, visit Joan's website www.joandalton.com.
