A new program at the Thunder Bay Correctional Centre aims to help inmates reduce feelings of loneliness and frustration by teaching them a new skill — dog training.
Canine Connections, which was recently launched at the facility in northwestern Ontario, currently involves four inmates working with the animals, some of them rescue dogs, once a week.
It’s the first program of its type in Ontario, said certified dog trainer Robin Ratz, who’s overseeing it.
“This is a fascinating area that has started to be explored in Canada, but not yet in the province of Ontario,” Ratz said. “We know that animals provide unconditional love and acceptance as
