Patriot PAWS Program

Now that my dog is in training as a Service Dog, I learned about the Patriot PAWS program.

Beau, co-founder of the program
Since 2008, these dogs have spent their formative years in a Texas women's prison, enriching the lives of the inmates who train them even before they meet their veteran companions.

The prison program started when the Texas Department of Criminal Justice contacted Patriot PAWS founder Lori Stevens to offer inmates at its Gatesville, Texas, facility as service dog trainers. Lori, who was already training service dogs for veterans, was looking to expand her program. Now 75 percent of Patriot PAS dogs start out with inmate trainers.

The program has had positive effects on the inmates, too. Inmates learn job skills, and among the inmates involved in Patriot PAWS, only one in 39 have returned to prison.

Read about Beau.....

Dog Truckin'

Since 2005, our nation's truck drivers have transported more than 600 homeward-bound pets in the cabs of their trucks according to Operation Roger.


Operation Roger of Joshua, Texas has coordinated the transportation of rescue dogs with the regional and long-haul truck drivers. The truckers provide a much needed ride and the dogs offer companionship and sometimes protection.

The nonprofit group got its start in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, when its founder, then truck driver Sue Wiese, scanned the radio listening for reports on the pets left behind in the rising flood waters.

Some of the truckers grow attached to their passengers by the time they reach their destination and end up adopting the dog.

In Southern California, Musical Truckin' Dogs Adoption Program was started by country singer Susanne Spirit. She matches up rescues and road warriors. The group even supplies the rig-driving adopters with donated care packages which contain everything they need for a week-plus road trip.