Rev. Sci. Tech. Off. Int. Epiz.

, 2018, 37 (1), 181-188

Prisoner rehabilitation through animal-assisted

activities in Argentina: the Huellas de Esperanza
Prison Dog Programme
J.E. Romero (1)*, J. Cepeda (2), P. Quinn (3) & S. Underwood (4)

(1) Huellas de Esperanza Prison Dog Training Programme, Federal Penitentiary Service, Ministry of Justice and
Human Rights/SOS VIDA (SOS Life) Association/Faculty of Veterinary Science, National University of La Pampa,
Gral. Urquiza 1537, Buenos Aires, Argentina
(2) Huellas de Esperanza Prison Dog Training Programme, Federal Penitentiary Service, Ministry of Justice and
Human Rights, Lavalle 2705, (1190) CABA, Argentina
(3) Founder of prison dog programmes, 1230 10th Ave. Green Bay, WN 54304, United States of America
(4) Open Chair in Animal-assisted Interventions, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Buenos Aires
(FCV-UBA), Av. Chorroarín 280, (1427) CABA, Argentina
*Corresponding author: drromero@fibertel.com.ar

Summary
One of the most traumatic events that a person can ever experience in their
lifetime is being detained. The prison dog programmes are the most successful
prison rehabilitation programmes in the United States of America and consist of
detainees training service dogs for other people to assist with different types of
disability.
It is a typical win-win system: inmates win as they connect with their deepest
feelings of affection and solidarity while acquiring a concrete skill for their future
release; people with disabilities win because they receive a dog to support their
day-to-day activities; the dogs win (especially adopted street dogs) because their
lot in life is improved; institutions win because they are enabled to meet their
objective more fully; and society wins because they gain a concrete tool to aid the
social rehabilitation of detainees.
This article describes the operation and achievements of Huellas de Esperanza
(Traces of Hope), the Argentine prison dog programme, which has been
implemented by the Federal Penitentiary Service since 2010 using State resources.
A total of 85 inmates have participated in the programme, which has delivered
more than a dozen assistance dogs to people with disabilities and many more
dogs to elderly people to provide them with affection and companionship. The
article also describes the programme methodology and the way it has decreased
prison unrest and led to a low reoffending rate among programme participants.

Keywords
Assistance dog – Argentina – Disability – Huellas de Esperanza – Prison – Prison dog
programme – Social rehabilitation.

Introduction The Huellas de Esperanza Prison Dog Training Programme

One of the most traumatic events that a person can
experience in their lifetime is being detained. Despite the
conceptual value of detention as a social contract, doubts
persist as to its real capacity to serve as a means of social
rehabilitation, because questions remain about its ability
to provide detainees with the tools they need to re-enter
society or its potential to take action that will facilitate and
steer their reintegration.
was established at the Federal Penitentiary Service of the
Ministry of Justice and Human Rights by Resolution 1454
of 29 July 2010 (1). It was modelled closely on the prison
dog programmes founded and led by one of the authors,
Pauline Quinn, which have been implemented in the
United States of America (USA) and Europe since 1981.
These programmes use the training of assistance dogs for
people with mobility, visual and hearing impairments as an
instrument for supporting prison inmates to reintegrate into
society and rejoin the world of work. In addition, in a study

doi: 10.20506/rst.37.1.2750
182
in the USA, the participation of detainees in dog-training
programmes resulted in a reduction in violent infractions,
inmate-filed grievances and disciplinary sanctions (2).
This programme, which is implemented as work therapy and
social therapy, clearly fosters in detainees a keen awareness
of others and their needs, as well as the value of generosity
and the need for discipline and perseverance to achieve
results (1). All this is achieved through the detainees’ day-to-
day interactions with animals, and it brings about a change
in their social role (3, 4). One of the programme’s goals is
for detainees to assume certain responsibilities, re-engage
more easily with society and reassess the effort needed to
achieve any goal. Participants tend to feel satisfaction at
having performed a commendable and selfless act for an
anonymous third party in need. This act of solidarity leads
to beneficial social outcomes for detainees, who feel their
contribution is both useful and important.
At the same time, the programme provides them with good
career prospects for when they are released.
Furthermore, mobility-impaired people, who are the main
target population of the Huellas de Esperanza programme,
gain greater autonomy with the aid of their loyal life
companions.
As for the dogs themselves, intensive training enables them
to develop the skills to provide people with disabilities with
assistance, companionship and affection, which leads to
dogs that are more emotionally balanced and inmates who
are better integrated into civil society (5, 6, 7).
Objectives of the Huellas de
Esperanza programme
The objectives of the programme are to:
– reduce rates of prison violence
– humanise interactions between the various people in
prisons (inmates and staff) so that relationships are the best
they can be
– reinforce the prevalence of positive feelings in detainees
– create job and career opportunities for detainees
– enable inmates to participate in prison life and foster
solidarity
– facilitate socially important acts of solidarity from within
prisons (1).
Rev. Sci. Tech. Off. Int. Epiz., 37 (1)
Development
Background
The programme was officially authorised in March 2011
and a cooperation agreement was concluded between the
Ministry of Justice and Human Rights and SOS VIDA (SOS
Life), an association that focuses on ensuring responsible
pet ownership by providing education to the public and
supporting projects, such as this programme in Argentina,
that work towards this objective. The association, which
is chaired by one of the authors, Juan Enrique Romero,
provides external advice on the programme.
Work began immediately by determining the appropriate
place for implementation, conducting interviews, making
a selection from among the detainees who had volunteered
to participate in the programme, and selecting and hiring
the appropriate staff to perform the various roles required.
Phase one
It was decided that the first place in which the programme
would be implemented would be a house at the ‘Nuestra
Señora del Valle’ Open Pre-release Institute (Unit 33).
As the animals are required to live with the inmates all day
during their training, the fact that the house was much like
any other shared home was seen as ideal, in view of the fact
that, when the time comes for the animals to live outside
the prison, they will live in a similar domestic setting. The
people with disabilities for whom they are intended may all
be from different social strata, but their home environments
will all share the same basic characteristics as the house
inside the prison.
In tandem with a search for suitable puppies, theoretical
training was initiated for the selected group prior to
integrating the animals into the programme. Three 45-day-
old Labrador Retrievers were acquired and one veterinarian
and two dog-trainer graduates from the Dog Training
School of the Faculty of Veterinary Science of the University
of Buenos Aires (FCV–UBA) were incorporated into the
programme as prison officers.
In 2012, when the three dogs were delivered to their
beneficiaries, a further three puppies were acquired and
training continued.
Phase two
In 2013, it was decided to extend the programme to one
of the houses at the ‘Juana Azurduy’ Open Pre-release
Institute of the ‘Nuestra Señora del Rosario de San Nicolás’
Federal Women’s Detention Centre (Unit 31). This new
Rev. Sci. Tech. Off. Int. Epiz., 37 (1)
space incorporates English-speaking female inmates who
have volunteered to participate in the programme. In this
phase, five Labrador Retrievers were integrated into the
programme and a group of participants were selected from
among the volunteers.
Phase three
In January 2015, a selection process was initiated among
young adult detainees of between 18 and 21 years of age
at the Federal Penitentiary Complex for Young Adults in
Marcos Paz. Voluntary interviews were conducted and
12 young adults were included in the programme. These
young people then began a course of theoretical training.
At the same time, a further two dog-trainer graduates from
the FCVUBA Dog Training School joined the programme.
During this period, work also began with mixed-breed dogs
(mongrels) that had been recovered from shelters or from
specific rescue schemes.
Phase four
In November and December 2015, a new activity was
initiated to provide information to the transgender
community in Module VI of Federal Penitentiary Complex I
in Ezeiza. The aim was to find a group of volunteers
interested. As a result, in February 2016, 12 transgender
women began the theoretical training phase. The next
phase is the practical training of mongrels to turn them into
highly socialised companion dogs or possibly service dogs.
Currently, 11 female inmates are undergoing theoretical
training prior to working with dogs, at the rate of two hours
twice a week. At the end of this phase, when the dogs are
integrated into the programme, the training will last four
Table I
The type of inmate involved in the prison dog training programme, and the number of dogs trained, at four different detention centres in
Argentina
Source: Federal Penitenciary Service, Argentina (8)
Institution No. of participants
Nuestra Señora del Valle Open 33 adult men
Pre-release Institute (a)
Juana Azurduy Open Pre-release 22 foreign adult
Institute (b) women*
Federal Penitentiary Complex for 41 young adults
Young Adults (c)
Federal Penitentiary 11 transgender
Complex I (d) inmates
a) Nuestra Señora del Valle Open Pre-release Institute
(Unit 33) in Ezeiza. The programme began in 2010
b) Juana Azurduy Open Pre-release Institute of the Nuestra
Señora del Rosario de San Nicolás Federal Women’s
Detention Centre (Unit 31) in Ezeiza. The programme
began in 2013
183
hours a day, under the supervision of the dog trainers/
instructors. The aim is to provide basic training to socialise
the dogs, which takes six to eight months of work, after
which the dogs will be given up for responsible adoption.
Details of the types of inmate involved in the programme and
the number of dogs trained in each of the four institutions
can be found in Table I.
The dogs and their training
Dogs, either purebred or mongrels, that have the
temperament to become an assistance dog or show an
aptitude during their initial training, are integrated into the
programme when they are between 30 and 45 days old.
Purebred animals acquired by the Federal Penitentiary
Service are microchipped and registered as the property of
the institution.
Each animal is handed over to one or two adult women or
men who are responsible for its care from that day until the
end of its training or for as long as it remains at the host
facility.
During that time, the detainees are responsible for
monitoring the animal’s food, administering any medication
prescribed by the programme veterinarian and ensuring
the animal’s hygiene and care throughout the day, as well
as performing socialisation and training tasks. They are
required to inform a member of the professional staff of any
upset or discomfort they may observe in an animal.
No. of dogs currently still
No. of dogs in the programme No. of dogs delivered
in training
6 Labrador Retrievers 4 service dogs** 2 companion dogs***
4 mongrels 2 therapy/companion dogs**
2 companion dogs***
5 Labrador Retrievers 2 service dogs 1 service dog
1 therapy/companion dog 1 companion dog
6 mongrels 4 companion dogs 2 companion dogs
They took part in theoretical activities relating to the care, hygiene, responsible ownership and health of
dogs in a typical home
c) Federal Penitentiary Complex for Young Adults in Marcos * The women spoke English and came from 15 different
Paz. The programme began in 2015 countries: Belarus, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Estonia,
d) Federal Penitentiary Complex I in Ezeiza – Module VI. France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, the Philippines,
The programme began in 2016 Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain and Thailand
** Labrador Retrievers
*** Mongrels
184 Rev. Sci. Tech. Off. Int. Epiz., 37 (1)

The instructors/dog trainers are in charge of the training

activities. They use the teaching aids needed for practical Professional staff
training in order to get the most out of the detainee group
involved in the programme. The programme’s professional staff comprises:
– a programme coordinator
Each of the detainees undergoes mid-term and final – an external adviser
assessments. A file is kept on each inmate, recording his – a veterinarian
or her assessments in each of the programme areas, and – a social worker
quarterly reports are sent to the Chair of the Board of – six dog trainers
Corrections for the activity to be taken into account when
– a dog-health assistant and driver
the board comes to appraise the inmate.
– a psychologist.

In addition, the dogs are given health assessments, as there

are many potential congenital and chronic diseases that
would make them unsuitable for use as service dogs. If
a dog is found to have a condition that prevents it from
becoming a service dog, it is reassigned to the group of
companion dogs.
Upon completion of the service-dog training phase, which
lasts between 18 and 24 months, and after conducting
an assessment in accordance with the final cross-check
protocols, work begins to team up the future user/
beneficiary with the assigned dog (1, 5).
This phase is divided into two stages:
Stage one consists of work in the unit with the beneficiary
person with a disability, the detainee in charge of the
assigned dog, the instructor/dog trainer, the programme
social worker and the family contacts of the mobility-
impaired person.
Stage two consists of adaptation work in the home of
the user/beneficiary, involving the dog trainers, the social
worker, the veterinarian and the family contacts.
Conclusions
A programme like Huellas de Esperanza, modelled on the
prison dog programmes founded by Pauline Quinn, which
is funded in Argentina entirely by the national government
via the Federal Penitentiary Service, can be seen as a novel
and unique means of reducing prison violence (0% among
inmates involved in the programme) and bringing down the
reoffending rate, as measured by the percentage of released
prisoners returning to prison (0.01% among inmates
involved in the programme). This has been achieved
through the many different variants implemented in the
diverse prison contexts in which the programme has been
carried out.
As these are only the early stages of implementing this type
of programme in Argentina, which combines training for
assistance dogs with the possibility of training other dogs
for visits in the context of animal-assisted interventions, the
results are yet to be evaluated on a larger sample. Other
research (9) has found that more intensive programmes,
where detainees train and live alongside dogs, are more
effective than programmes where dogs are merely taken to
visit prisons.

The dog accompanies the user in some social/work activities

At the same time, the programme fosters detainees’ values,
so that there can be an assessment of how it works with the
humanises prison relationships and provides a valuable
user and how it behaves outside the family environment.
and necessary service to society at large, to people with
disabilities and, in particular, to the animals themselves.
Whether they are service or companion dogs, the dogs
are always loaned free of charge. They are supervised
and inspected in the user’s home by a team comprising a
veterinarian, a dog trainer, a social worker and, if necessary,
a psychologist.

The inspections are coordinated with the user or a family

contact at varying intervals, not exceeding three months.

If any problem is observed, the home monitoring team

must resolve it and advise beneficiaries on how to rectify or
resolve such problems themselves.
Rev. Sci. Tech. Off. Int. Epiz., 37 (1) 185

References
1. Federal Penitentiary Service (Argentina) (2011). – Boletín
Público Normativo [Regulatory Bulletin]. Year 17. No. 390.
2. Van Wormer J., Kigerl A. & Hamilton Z. (2017). –
Digging deeper: exploring the value of prison-based dog
handler programs. The Prison Journal, 97 (4), 520–538.
doi:10.1177/0032885517712481.
3. Hart L. (2010). – Positive effects of animals for psychosocially
vulnerable people: a turning point for delivery. In Handbook
on animal-assisted therapy: theoretical foundations and
guidelines for practice, 3rd Ed. (A.H. Fine, ed.). Elsevier,
Burlington, Massachusetts, United States of America, 72–97.
4. Beetz A., Uvnäs-Moberg K., Julius H. & Kotrschal K. (2012). –
Psychosocial and psychophysiological effects of human–
animal interactions: the possible role of oxytocin. Front.
Psychol., 3, 234. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00234.
6. Courtney L.H. & Crowley S.L. (2015). – The psychological
and physiological effects of using a therapy dog in mindfulness
training. Anthrozoös, 28 (3), 385–402. doi:10.1080/08927936.
2015.1052272.
7. Cloutier A. & Peetz J. (2016). – Relationships’ best friend: links
between pet ownership, empathy, and romantic relationship
outcomes. Anthrozoös, 29 (3), 395–408. doi:10.1080/08927936.
2016.1181361.
8. Federal Penitentiary Service (Argentina) (2017). – Huellas de
Esperanza report [internal document]. Ministry of Justice and
Human Rights, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
9. Mulcahy C. & McLaughlin D. (2013). – Is the tail wagging
the dog? A review of the evidence for prison animal programs.
Aust. J. Psychol., 48 (5), 370–378. doi:10.1111/ap.12021.

5. Wilkins A.M., McCrae L.S. & McBride E.A. (2015). – Factors

affecting the human attribution of emotions toward animals.
Anthrozoös, 28 (3), 357–369. doi:10.1080/08927936.2015.
1052270.

Appendix
Some accounts from male and female detainees involved in
the programme
Unit 31
Jessica (country: Canada)
Huellas de Esperanza is a bunch of words that don’t come anywhere near the true meaning
of the programme they represent. While the words might fall far short, it is what lies
beneath them that really counts.

My name is Jessica and I joined the Huellas de Esperanza programme one year and nine
months ago. Describing my experience in the programme is to define the huge number of
emotions that I felt from the outset and describe how it has led to the person I am today,
which is someone I am very proud of. During that time, I had to learn the meaning of the
words achievement, perseverance, imagination, devotion, dedication and responsibility. In
terms of work, the satisfaction I feel at having developed dog-training expertise is down
to the dedication of the programme’s two trainers, who taught me − and continue to teach
me − their passion: dog training. It is a joy to have by my side two professionals who, from
the start of the programme, advised me in such a way that I learned to find new solutions
to problems, which enabled me to deepen and implement my own knowledge. This is a
programme within a prison and the quality of training is reflected in team work − by the
dog trainers, the social worker, the veterinarians and also the inmates involved in the
programme: my companions and myself. We all work to achieve our common goal: to turn
our dogs into service dogs.
186 Rev. Sci. Tech. Off. Int. Epiz., 37 (1)

My experience of Huellas de Esperanza has mainly been one of constant hands-on learning,
and there has been a mixture of feelings of achievement, frustration and responsibility.
I have so many anecdotes to tell and there are so many ‘I remember…’ moments. Although
I had had dogs at home all my life, the idea of training them had never occurred to me and
neither did I know how much I could love a little animal. It made me realise that these
beautiful creatures had to be cared for as though they were children and loved as though
they were my best friends. Now I know why people say that dogs are man’s best friend.

I will never forget how lucky I was to be allowed to join the programme. I had arrived
at the unit only two months before the programme was launched. It was amazing to go
through the selection process and to take part in the interview with professionals working
with dogs, who advised me, helped me and gave me confidence in my abilities.

After that interview, the day came when I was selected to take part in the programme,
giving me a chance to see where I was going to be working. It was very cold and rainy that
day, but it was the start of an incredible adventure. I met Sister Pauline Quinn, founder of
the first prison dog training programme, and also met her three dogs, which stayed with
the programme until December 2013. Then came the day that we met ‘our’ five dogs. At
last they were there and allowed us to greet them. The little dog that was placed in my
arms was trembling so much, poor little thing, because of all the changes, the new people,
a new place, but, in spite of that, I fell in love with that creature at first sight. After a few
days, he was given the name Dino. Little Dino has been my favourite ever since, even
though I love all five dogs.

The first dog I worked with was Tomy, who I worked with along with my fellow inmate,
Jana. Tomy was a ball of yellow fur, sickly, with no neck, weak little legs and a small
head. I had him for a few months, during which time I took him on walks and I worked on
lure reward training, nearly losing my fingers from his greedy little chewing. At that time,
we worked with him on a range of surfaces. My fellow inmate and I had to note down
everything we observed with Tomy, and the anecdote that marks out Tomy is that…, well,
Tomy would respond to the call of nature right in the middle of work!

After Tomy, I was assigned Adam. I really suffered with him. To teach him the basics not
even chunks of meat would tempt his appetite and make him want to work. In short, at
the time, Adam didn’t like meat. After trying 1,000 possible ways to teach him the ‘go
to kennel’ exercise, with no success, I didn’t want to give up without trying a new idea:
imitation. I did the exercise myself by crawling to the kennel and explaining what I was
doing out loud and, wonder of wonders, Tomy did the exercise perfectly right away! What
a dog!

At the next change, I was given a crazy dog, called Peace, who was nothing like her name
suggested. What wonderful memories of a tirelessly hardworking dog that was full of
energy − but talk about stubborn. She refused to go into the carrier and tried madly to get
my arm out. My most moving experience in the programme was with her. Two months
after coming to live in the house, I had a very big family problem and, as she would sleep
with me, that night I lay down on the floor beside her, weeping inconsolably. Little did
I know what would happen next. Peace flipped me over on the floor and then began to
knead me on the chest with all her weight, first with one paw then the other, slowing
her heart rate and licking my tears to calm me down. I was with her for several months,
including when Pauline Quinn returned. Being in the programme and living in the house at
that time allowed me to live alongside her and to learn a lot from that great lady.

After that whirlwind of a dog, the next change brought me Eva, the most laid-back dog
you could imagine. At first, working with her was quite a challenge: just getting her to
move was a miracle. Over time, we got used to each another and ended up doing wonders
Rev. Sci. Tech. Off. Int. Epiz., 37 (1) 187

together, learning from one another all the time. We even became famous, appearing on
a television channel (Telefe).

It was really hard for me to stop working with Eva because, by that time, I had achieved
some spectacular successes, such as getting her to turn on the light switch on the wall
and bring me objects. Despite that, I felt that we had gone as far as we could in terms of
what I could teach her and what she could learn from me.

It was time to hand her over completely to my fellow inmate Katy, whom I had helped to
train Eva. Perhaps what upset me the most was not seeing any further major successes,
but Eva will remain a source of great personal pride [and a reminder of] what I was able
to achieve with a service dog.

Over the past two months, I have had a very big challenge: my love at first sight, Dino.
Working with him requires me to use every available tool and a lot of imagination and
patience. But I love it. With him, I can see just how far we have come and the results have
been exceptional. I always have to figure out a way to get him going. He drives me crazy,
bringing me to tears of frustration or joy, and he tries my patience almost to the limit. But
I love him just the same! It makes me very proud to be contributing to his development as
a service dog, but above all very proud to have been able to pull out of the pit a dog that I
had thought was a no-hoper. But that pride has come from all the experience I have gained
since the day I received my first dog, and from the commitment I made − and continue to
make − to working with him. We have become a terrific team and we can’t fail; we have
enormous trust in each other and that is the reason behind our success. I hope to get to
know Dino’s user. I am really looking forward to being able to teach his user everything
that Dino can do to help them. I want to show them what a good companion he can be, and
how he can come to their rescue, which is what he did for me, in a sense.

The Huellas de Esperanza programme taught me about myself and the people around me
and that dogs should be shown the same respect as any other living being. The programme
helps you move forward after you’ve made a mistake and makes you want to start a new
life. The dogs and the programme helped me to become stronger, to have even more
confidence in my abilities, in everything I wanted to accomplish. They also developed in
me a broader sense of responsibility. We had to be responsible, because we had to take
care of them, keeping an eye out every second, and we had to organise our time and
our work. The beauty of the programme is the camaraderie that it fosters among people
from different countries with one passion in common: dogs. As the participants were all
different in character, outlook, age, etc., I was able to learn from each of the inmates who
crossed my path during the programme. The programme helped me to become a better
person, to become more courageous, understanding and patient, and to become a better
trainer. However, it was not as easy as it might seem, and I still have to control myself in
order to take on board other people’s ideas and to train the dogs without undoing the work
that has already been done.

The programme meant holding back my tears of frustration when I felt overwhelmed by
the situation and when things went wrong. At first, I had a really hard time dealing with
the clicker (a mechanical training device that makes a short, distinct ‘click’ sound telling
the animal exactly when they are doing the right thing), but I finally succeeded in teaching
my dog how to turn on the light and close the fridge door. The programme gives you the
opportunity for self-improvement and to be proud of what you have achieved. What is
wonderful about this programme is that you learn that, by training dogs to help mobility
impaired people, you are also helping yourself. It is an enriching experience, and it also
provides a life model that I can use to change my mindset and my actions, as a mum, a
daughter and a friend. That experience made me open my eyes to the other meanings
of life and allowed me to make better, timelier decisions to become a better person, to
188 Rev. Sci. Tech. Off. Int. Epiz., 37 (1)

recognise my faults and to aspire to a new future. I owe a huge thanks to the programme
and to all the people who make it possible every day.

In short, the programme provides trainers that help to change the way you see life.
Everything looks different after the experience, because they offer a different point of
view, through a passion that unites us all: dogs.

Thank you, thank you so much for having changed my life… I am confident of all that the
future holds because now I have more tools to cope with life.

Ezeiza Penal Colony – Unit 19

Carlos Alberto
Hello, my name is Carlos Alberto, I am 54 years old and have been in the programme for
nearly five months, during which time I have had a lot of experiences with both the dogs
and people involved in the programme.

In the case of the dogs, I have noticed their ability to learn and how tender and affectionate
they are. In the case of the people, I have learnt a lot and I have had a lot of experiences
that have affected me deeply. One example is Matías, a boy with a disability who was lucky
enough to interact with Tango, a very, very intelligent Labrador who was just amazing.

This programme is really interesting for both me and the dogs, which makes it easy for us
to work together. I am grateful to the coordinators for what they are teaching me, as I am
already learning to train dogs.

Federal Institute for Young Adults – Unit 24

Iván Junior
When I heard about the programme for training dogs, I liked the sound of it and wanted
to join. Being part of the programme and learning how to train a dog gave me a chance to
escape from my life inside and to spend some time with animals I like. It is useful for us
when we come to be released, because it gives us a trade to earn a livelihood and stop us
from falling back into our old ways.

Federal Penitentiary Complex I – Module VI

Salomé
I think the movie (authors’ note: ‘Within these walls’, about the life of Pauline Quinn) is a
really touching and truthful story that shows very real feelings.

Some of the things that struck me about the movie were the way in which dogs can
be trained to assist disabled people, how living with dogs changes the personality and
attitudes of inmates, and Pauline’s commitment to taking forward the prison dog training
programme in spite of the obstacles.

It is a very nice story and I hope that the same thing can happen here in the Ezeiza prison,
so that we can have pets to train that will help us get through this difficult time.