We are pleased to announce that the dog training and adoption project at the Kruševac Correctional Facility has successfully passed the halfway mark. Despite challenges related to infrastructure works, we have managed to complete all planned activities and even surpass our initial goals. The dog kennels and training ground have been fully completed, providing the necessary infrastructure for training both the residents and the dogs, as well as for additional training of the commander.
We are particularly delighted that the residents have responded extremely well to working with the dogs. As the project progressed, more and more people within the institution—technical staff, instructors, department heads, and the warden—joined in with added enthusiasm. This has given us further motivation to continue with additional activities, including upcoming lectures and visits from a veterinarian, as well as a canine judge and lecturer at the canine academy, Professor Darko Drobnjak, and other experts.
The report on the first half of the project’s activities has been submitted and, to our great delight, approved. We received interesting ideas from the donor Anka Erne about a practice in some European countries where dogs are introduced into prison cells so that inmates spend even more time with them, become more aware of their needs, and gain additional benefits from caring for animals. These suggestions have already been presented to the facility’s administration for consideration, potentially guiding the next phase or possible continuation of the project.
We extend our gratitude to everyone involved in this initiative and will continue to work on improving the program, hoping that it will become a lasting practice that benefits both the residents and the animals.