Tania Rivera has been out of jail for less than a week, and she decided to go back.
In a grassy area near the bland buildings and barbed-wire fences of the Alachua County Jail, the 23-year-old smiles with her son and two big dogs.
For about nine weeks, Rivera worked with a boxer named Barney Collier as part of Alachua County’s Paws on Parole. The program works with well-behaved inmates, like Rivera, who are selected to train dogs from Alachua County Animal Services.
At Wednesday’s program graduation ceremony for Barney and his dog friend, Rollin Hand, Rivera watched Barney play with his adoptive family. Barney’s new adoptive brothers are a group of four elementary-aged boys who cooed and squealed as they showered him in hugs and giggles.
“He’s going home,” Rivera said. “I’m so sad. He’s leaving me.”
But Rivera was smiling as she said it.
The boys, who are just older than Rivera’s son, laughed as they pushed yellow Minion sunglasses onto the slobbering pooch’s face. Rivera laughed, too.
The ceremony wasn’t just for the dogs, though. As the trainers who taught the dogs basic commands and socialized them, the female inmates are also celebrated.
Alachua County Sheriff Sadie Darnell said the women who graduate from the program learn patience and nurturing skills, which help them get jobs and stabilize their lives.
Of the 42 total women to go through the program, only eight returned to jail, said the program’s main corrections officer, Debra Scott.
After the jail earned the grant that started the program, it was able to work solely off donations from events, said Hilary Hynes, the ACAS public education coordinator.
With 80 percent of inmates not returning to jail, Darnell said the program is a success.
“That’s a great — from a business standpoint — return on investment,” she said.
Former inmates like Rivera, who works at Holiday Inn, are contributing positively to society, Darnell said.
Their success is due, in part, to the dogs.
When inmates see the animals succeed — becoming friendlier and healthier — Scott said, this helps the women regain their self-confidence.
“Dogs have so much love to give,” she said.
Tina Butler, 47, speaks fondly of the dogs she has trained in the program.
“They humble you, and they teach you stuff about yourself,” Butler said.
At her home, Butler said she was always surrounded by animals, feeding strays and owning dogs, cats, horses and hamsters.
She describes Rollin as protective and hyper.
“He loves to give you hugs and kisses,” she said.
She pointed to Dan Mainwaring, who is adopting Rollin.
The dogs have an undeniable and contagious happiness, Butler said. When they see their trainers, both parties get excited.
“It not only makes (Rollin) feel good, it makes you feel good, too,” she said.
Both women were given certificates that recognize their work with the dogs. After Butler was given hers, she smiled and turned away.
“Stand up here, Tina, please,” Darnell said to her while graduation guests took photos. “This is your creation.”
And the dogs owe their training to the inmates, who care for them like they were their own animals.
While they were sad to see the dogs go, Rivera and Butler smiled throughout the entire graduation ceremonies, especially when they were presented with certificates highlighting their accomplishments.
“That is a precious document that means a lot and represents a lot of blood, sweat and tears,” Darnell said.
Everyone gathered for a group photo after certificates were given to the women, and pictures of the dogs, along with gift baskets of treats and toys, were gifted to the adoptive families.
As 6-year-old Daniel Roth, one of Barney’s siblings, hugged his new dog, corrections officer Scott posed for the photo.
“We’re saving dogs and inmates at the same time,” Scott said.
[A version of this story ran on page 1 on 7/30/15]
Daniel Roth, 6, snuggles his newly adopted boxer, Barney Collier, during a group photo of the “Paws on Parole” graduates. The dogs were named after characters in the movie Mission Impossible as the theme for their graduating class was "Mission Pawsible." Roth was able to take Barney home after the ceremony.
