Puppies Behind Bars

Puppies Behind Bars (PBB) trains incarcerated individuals to raise service dogs for wounded war veterans and first responders, as well as explosive-detection canines for law enforcement. The puppies live in prison with their incarcerated raisers from the age of 8 weeks to 24 months. Since 1997, PBB has raised more than 1,000 puppies. Through our Dog Tags program we place service dogs with wounded veterans. The dogs learn special commands to mitigate the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and TBI (traumatic brain injury). Since our first Dog Tags placement in 2008, we have paired 150 service dogs with wounded veterans and first responders. Through a new program, some of our dogs are placed with police departments to work in community outreach and officer wellness, building bridges with the public and helping those who have faced trauma. Additionally, more than 400 PBB-trained explosive-detection canines work with law enforcement agencies around the country.