Oklahoma Inmates Giving 'Unadoptable' Dogs Second Chance

Funding for a new facility at Mabel Bassett Correctional Center is nearing completion. 

Friday, October 16th 2015, 6:08 pm

By: News 9


Funding for a new facility at Mabel Bassett Correctional Center is nearing completion. In fact, they’ve already started construction on a new building dedicated to the prison’s dog training program for offenders.

Kimberly Wenthold is one of six offenders to be a part of what its creators call a win, win, win program currently in place. Through 'Guardian Angels' Wenthold finds a purpose in teaching a dog to sit and stay, the dog learns to behave, and future adopters get a fully trained pet.

Hefty donations have been coming in to support this unique program, allowing Dr. John Otto, the Guardian Angels creator, to expand their efforts.

“The building will have a classroom, 25x25. It’ll have about ten kennels and then it’ll have a grooming room and then out behind it will be the training center itself, where they can work outside and go over obstacles,” said Dr. Otto.

The new place will also mean more offenders can take part and more transformations can begin.

Wenthold was in for manslaughter and just started her more than 20 year sentence. “I’m still doing this as a learning experience. I’m not making it a bad thing,” she said, adding she wants to find a purpose in her prison time.

She's also enrolled in college classes while training Tilk the dog, taking advantage of every opportunity to try and turn her life around.

“The more we learn, the better off we are, the better off the dogs are and the better off everyone here is,” Wenthold told News 9.

The new facility is estimated to cost $400,000 and they’ve received roughly $330,000 in donations so far.

If you’d like to donate, go to friendsforfolks.org.

The project could be completed by early spring.

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