When these two old friends are reunited as a surprise it was an incredibly happy day! The lady who made this wonderful reunion happen is a very special woman, indeed. When she learned the history between the two old friends, she couldn’t help but get excited about the thought of seeing the two of them reunited.
Not all of us meet our best friends in the same way or in the same circumstances. The way these two friends met was quite unusual, to say the least. Steven was incarcerated and determined to put his life back on track. When he was placed into a special program designed for inmates to be paired up with problem dogs. little did Steven know what great friends they would be.
How It All Started
The animal shelter had not been able to find a suitable placement for Pavlov so he was placed in the special program for inmates learning to train dogs. The hope was that it would be a win-win situation for both of them. There are several of these programs in existence across the country. Some use the programs to train service dogs to benefit others but others are preparing dogs to go into family homes.
Regardless of the planned outcome for the dogs, the benefits for the dogs, inmates, and society, in general, are quite extensive. Not only are the dogs and inmates rehabilitated, the inmates are also taught a set of skills that will increase their chances of employment. Recidivism is greatly reduced when the inmates are employed upon release back into society. Being productive also builds their self-esteem.
Many of the service dogs given to our disabled Vets have been trained by these programs. The ability to provide benefits to our disabled Vets gives a great deal of satisfaction and pride to inmates wishing to give back to society. These programs change the lives of the animals, those incarcerated, and disabled veterans in a positive manner.
Steven and Pavlov developed a very strong bond during their participation in this program. Not only did Pavlov learn to follow all of Steven’s commands, he never wanted to leave his side. Pavlov even insisted on sleeping in the same bed as Steven! When it came time for Steven to be released, he had no way to take Pavlov with him. It was a sad day for both of them.
How The Two Best Friends Are United At Long Last
After being trained by Steven, Pavlov had no trouble finding a wonderful home with a lady named Marina. Completely upon accident, Marina saw a video clip of Pavlov during his training period. She was excited to think about creating a surprise reunion between the two old friends. By now, Steven was working at an animal control center. He had fallen in love with working with dogs while in the program.
As it turns out, they were not so far away from one another. The story of how the reunion came to be and how it transpired is here for you to view in the following clip. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
If you want to learn more about inmates training dogs you will want to read this article.
https://www.thehumananimalconnection.org/post/dogs-in-prison-programs-for-prisoners
If you love stories about dogs being reunited with their loving families you should definitely read this article.
Abducted Boston Terrier Was Reunited With His Beloved Family
Photo Courtesy of AKC