Ruff love

Maryland scheme brings at-risk boys and abandoned dogs together

source: Rachelle Detweiler
The Animals' Agenda March-April 2000
starts p28, 2 pages long

A scheme near Baltimore, Maryland, set up in May 1999, brings at-risk boys and abandoned dogs together. The boys learn to train the dogs and benefit from achieving cooperation without violence or threats. They learn new problem-solving skills. The dogs are non-judgemental, and can help the boys deal with suppressed emotions. Both the dogs and the boys may have shown anti-social behaviour. The boys learn to analyze the dogs' behaviour when they act out, and this reinforces the training that the boys themselves are receiving. The Baltimore Police Department notes that abuse of animals can be linked to violence against humans. The boys respect animals more when they go back home.
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