The News Tribune from Tacoma, Washington • 78

PE E2 The News Tribune Wed July 13 1988 rv hs iff I Vicky Doroshenko and Harley train at the Purdy Prison gym beside Inmates who are training other dogs ejove Inmate-trained dog liberates woman By Lis Saratiwi The New Tribune had to have someone accompany her everywhere had to drop me off at school and be there in between classes" Independence arrived with Harley was tired of feeling so dependent When alone you are so scared you're going to choke to For reasons unknown Harley can sense when Doroshenko is going to have a seizure remember in music class I was going to have a seizure and he nudged me and pushed she said wanted me to sit down If I get real persistent he'll jump on Doroshenko who lives in Tacoma said only one other person has gotten a seizure-alert dog through the Purdy program know which dogs are alert to she said guess we were the lucky The Purdy dog-training program which began in 1982 is unique to Washington and the nation Pound dogs who would inevitably be killed are selected by the Humane Society and sent to be trained by inmates at the Pur- Without Harley Vicky Doroshenko said her life would be terrible Harley is three-year-old golden retriever He is also her seizure-alert dog The two were united through the Prison Pet Partnership Program at the Purdy Corrections Center for Women Harley was trained as a service dog by inmates had seizures that left me paralysed three times I started to train a Great Dane my family had to help me pick me Doroshenko said brought her to a training center and Dawn (Dawn Jecs the Purdy dogtraining program director) was there She told me if I needed a dog she could help When Doreshenko's dog got sick she called Jecs for a service dog Before she got Harley the 2 5-year-old Tacoma Community College student said she dy prism we get the dogs confinement is used at the beginning because we don't know how the dogs according to Jecs program director monitor their Gradually the dogs are socialized with the inmates and environment Dr Braden Wolf a Humane Society veterinarian said she selects dogs who appear confident and outgoing in the stressful environment look at the dogs who are up in the front of the cages wanting to be friendly us it's a win-win situation We often pick the dirty matted ones the ones we can see the personality in Usually the public see past the The social interaction between the inmates and veterinarians dog owners and program visitors is another benefit Wolf has noticed watched the long-term inmates who were socially inept turn into poised she said people made bad choices in their lives and they want to any Jecs said love to save the lives of the dogs They can relate because they are in the same type of situation Maybe not wanted maybe some were abused and now they are going through Sue Miller an inmate who has been involved with the program for two years has trained 15 dogs do have your favorites" she said had one dog who was a maniac I thought be glad to see her go but the next day I missed her really bad It helps because we meet most of the people who are going to take care of The inmates train service and therapy dogs Although they are not dogs for the blind or deaf service dogs are taught to help people with physical disabilities Miller said she teaches her dogs basic obedience skills then how to retrieve while she sits in a wheelchair Dogs are also taught to pull wheelchairs The program remains only certification center for service dogs dogs are in the middle of companion and service dogs" said inmate Sue Please tee Dog E6 Inmate-trainer Sue Ortega who trained Harley knits with Harley In attendanceTrainers can keep their dogs with them In their rooms CHORE worker Melissa Splndler left will be freed from constant attendance on Vicky now that she and Harley have graduated from training at Purdy Seizure-alert dogs like Harley can accompany their masters anywhere including the Mall Photography by Russ Carmack of The Morning News Tribune Harley is trained to get out of the way and lay down whenever Vicky sits On a bus he tucks his tail out of the way of wayward feet and nestles in behind feet A.