Educational Media Reviews Online

Prison Pups takes the viewer into Concord Farm, a minimum security prison in Concord, Massachusetts, where inmates are training puppies for NEADS, a non-profit organization providing service dogs the deaf and physically disabled. The program pairs prisoners with puppies for a 12-14 month period of initial training. Once the dogs have mastered basic commands, they return to NEADS Headquarters for advanced and specialized training. NEADS dogs increase independence and improve the overall quality of life for their human partners.

The documentary follows five prisoners as they work with puppies at Concord Farm, one of five facilities in Massachusetts with a prison pup program. The story is told primarily through narration and interviews with the prisoners, correctional officers, prison administrators, and NEADS staff, as well as the puppies’ new owners.

To be considered for the dog program, prisoners must be nearing the end of their sentences and have a history of good behavior. Because of the demands of young puppies, these inmates are given more freedom than other prisoners, but with this freedom comes the responsibility of caring for the puppy 24 hours a day. The film depicts the puppies living in the cell with the prisoner and accompanying them to meals and training sessions. Success in the program gives the prisoners confidence, pride and self-esteem. Knowing that they have done something to give back to society helps the prisoners feel more positively about themselves as they prepare for the transition back to the community.

The most poignant moments occur when the film shows the dogs leaving prison and then later returning to Concord Farm with their new owners. The prisoners experience a real sense of loss, but also learn that their hard work has paid off.

In addition to Concord Farm, the film shows local scenery and the NEADS Headquarters in Princeton, Massachusetts. There’s plenty of footage of training sessions with the dogs – primarily golden retrievers and Labrador retrievers.

Prison Pups is an engaging documentary that portray the benefits of this program for both inmates and NEADS clients. The first person interviews make it clear that prison life is hard, but that the program enhances not only the life of the disabled, but enriches the lives of the prisoners as well. As the prisoners interact with and talk about “their”dogs – and with the NEADS staff and clients, they seem not only humane, but more human, in contrast to the typical presentations presented in the media. Prison Pups is highly recommended junior high through adult level audiences.

Awards

• Best Documentary Award, Berks County Film Festival, 2006
• First Place Audience Award for Documentary, Asheville Film Festival, 2006