Elise Archer,Attorney-General and Minister for Corrections
The Tasmanian Government is committed to supporting initiatives that promote prisoner rehabilitation.
Prisoners in the Ron Barwick Prison have had the opportunity to take part in an ‘adopt a dog program’ being run in partnership with the Dogs’ ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ of Tasmania.
Eight year old dog ‘Ceasar’ was a regular visitor to the prison as part of the Tasmania Prison Service’s agreement with the Dogs’ ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ of Tasmania that allows prisoners the opportunity to train and socialise dogs being prepared for adoption, as part of their rehabilitation.
Ceasar struggled to find a member of the public who wanted to adopt him, but was always happy to be at the prison.
A group of more than 100 prisoners decided that they wanted to take responsibility for Ceasar, and they raised $1,100 overnight to cover his adoption fees, vet bills and food.
This effort complemented a $1,000 donation made by prisoners to the Dogs’ ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ of Tasmania earlier this year.
The Dogs’ ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ of Tasmania currently runs a formal foster care program in the prison called ‘Pups on Parole’, and suitable prisoners also spend time working at the Dogs’ ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ as part of the TPS’s rehabilitation program.
