The Freedom Tails newsletter is a fun, uplifting and heartwarming chronicling of the canine training program at the Stafford Creek Corrections Center in Aberdeen, WA.  It follows the exploits of the shelter dogs being trained by the inmate trainers during the 12-week program that prepares the dogs to be adopted by private owners.

The newsletter was captured, cataloged and archived by the Historical & Digital Collections Program at the Washington State Library (WSL).  It came to our attention through the Washington State Depository Program which is mandated by law to capture, archive, catalog, and make available to the public publications from state agencies.  More information about the State Depository program can be found here.

The newsletter highlights the biography and photographs of each shelter dog selected for the program.  The circumstances that brought them to the program are as varied as the circumstances of their inmate trainers.  The benefits for the inmates, inmate trainers, dogs and the community are described along with follow ups of how the dogs are doing at their adoptive homes.  It is hard to tell which benefits more from Freedom Tails—inmates, dogs or the community.

If you believe in rehabilitation, second chances and changes of the heart, you may want to follow this newsletter.  If you are interested in adopting a dog or supporting the program, this site may be of interest to you.

–Pam Griffith