Clarissa Kell | Daily Press A painting depicting the meaning behind the Dawgz Adapt program by an inmate at the Alger Correctional Facility is shown. The painting shows a black and white dog that is “broken.” Then, with the love and care provided by the inmates, it begins to show its true colors and becomes the dog it was meant to be.

ESCANABA — Giving animals another chance to find a loving home is what the Delta Animal Shelter is all about. But what about the dogs that are deemed “broken” and unlikely to be adopted?

Delta Animal Shelter has partnered with the Dawgz Adapt program by bringing the “broken” dogs to the Alger Correctional Facility in Munising. At the prison, inmates spend time with and work out the issues of the dogs. The dogs come back to the shelter ready to be adopted.

“So what this is, is one more tool that we have to be able to help dogs that come to us,” Sue Gartland, the shelter director, said.

According to the Dawgz Adapt Facebook page, the program is for rescue dogs that are trained by inmates housed at the Alger Correctional Facility in Munising. The inmates are carefully chosen and must meet certain conduct and crime criteria to be considered for a dog handler position.

All of the dogs within the Dawgz Adapt program come from the Delta Animal Shelter. Gartland said the shelter partners with other shelters in the U.P. to transfer dogs in need of the program to the local shelter.

All of the expenses incurred in the Dawgz Adapt program are paid for by the Delta Animal Shelter and donations received from the public through the program’s Amazon Wish List.

Gartland explained the type of dogs chosen to participate in the program are under-socialized, need help with self-confidence and need help with obedience training.

“They live with the inmate 24 hours a day,” she said.

The inmates within the program work as a pair, so there are two inmates to one dog. Gartland explained the inmates keep daily diaries, send a weekly report to the shelter, and write a going home letter for the adopters giving the once broken dogs a second chance.

“They currently have 20 trained inmates that work with a total of 10 dogs,” Gartland said.

She said the program runs for around 12 weeks, depending on the dog and how much work needs to be done. There are currently 10 dogs at the correctional facility with two dogs ready to graduate soon.

Gartland explained shelter representatives go to the the correctional facility once a month. Dave Johnson of D & D Kennels provides the inmates tips on training and methods for each particular dog.

She said the partnership began in March. Since then, there have been six dogs that have graduated.

“It is so wonderful for the dogs, but on the other-side it’s wonderful for the inmates, as well. To have that unconditional love, to have that project that they work so hard at and then to see the end result where the dog comes back to the shelter a new dog — and is a wonderful dog to adopt,” she said.

Silas, a boxer, is currently the only graduate still at the shelter. All of the other dogs were adopted.

Gartland explained Silas came to the shelter with dog aggression issues and lack of basic obedience skills, like pulling hard on a leash and not knowing basic commands like sit or listen.

She said he went to the correctional facility on March 15 and graduated June 6.

“He has learned 30 tricks, he walks loose on a leash, he will play with any dog — he is just a happy go lucky boxer,” she said.

Gartland noted there is a lot of interest in Silas and he’ll probably be adopted soon.