Hunter prison helps fill the ‘GAP’ in greyhound rescue

Wednesday, 29 June 2022

Hunter Correctional Centre staff and inmates have welcomed the first dogs in its new Greyhound as Pets program, helping inmates gain valuable animal husbandry skills while taking pressure off local animal rescues.

Former Governor Linda Ferrett owns a rescue greyhound and launched the program at Hunter as a ‘tail’ of rehabilitation, before taking a Corrective Services NSW Security and Intelligence role.

“I’m really glad to see there’s some positive action to rehome these animals and the benefits to both inmates and staff from a therapeutic point of view … you can’t measure that,” Ms Ferrett said.

“Our staff work in sometimes aggressive and challenging environments, it will be good for staff to come out off their post, when relieved of course, and just spend some time chilling out with ‘the kids’ – the ‘furbabies’.”

GAP Wyee site manager, Elizabeth Hammond, said the new facility provides invaluable support by rehabilitating up to six dogs at a time.

“It’s going to be so helpful to us because we’re nearly at max capacity at Wyee, so it really helps to get a couple of dogs here and just help us get the work done and get them prepared for their home life,” Ms Hammond said.

CSNSW offender services and programs, Kristy Tindall, said the arrival of greyhounds is the culmination of two years of work by staff and inmates.

“They were a little bit nervous when they first arrived but the inmates welcomed them with open arms and we’ve made a really beautiful home for them here, so they very quickly settled down,” Ms Tindall said.

“Everyone has worked really hard for this for the past two years and just finally we can now enjoy the greyhounds here and hopefully find a home for them all.”

Under the supervision of trade-qualified overseers, an inmate work crew contributed more than 400 hours’ work to the construction of the kennels and gained skills in excavation, formwork, pouring concrete, and installing drains, downpipes and chain-link fencing.

Carefully selected inmates gained valuable animal husbandry through a Dogs as Pets course and GAP training, and will now spend six weeks teaching former racers how to live a domesticated life.

“It’s a sense of achievement that we’ve done something good and if I ever get a job working with animals in the future, I’ll know a bit about it,” one participant said.

“You know you’ve done something good and helped an animal that hasn’t had a love of their life before.”

CSNSW Commissioner Kevin Corcoran PSM said this is the second greyhound rehabilitation initiative in the state’s prisons, the first being at Dillwynia Correctional Centre in Sydney.

“We’re committed to providing opportunities for offenders to grow educational and employment opportunities through our centres, which we know helps set them on the right path for a law-abiding life post release.”

Hunter Correctional Centre is now planning to host an official opening ceremony for its new program.