Project Second Chance

Using Shelter Dogs to Facilitate a Change in Juvenile Delinquents

by Tamara Herbert Ward

Research shows there is a connection between animal abuse and violence towards people.

• ''.a child who learns aggression against living creatures is more likely to rape, abuse, and kill other humans as an adult' (Kellert and Felthous, 1985).
• 'Despite lack of research in the area, cruelty to animals is being held out as a warning sign for potential violence.' (Miller, C, 2001).
• 'The man who hurts animals is often on his way to hurting children, wives, and strangers'' (Cannon, A. 1997).
• Investigators who identified recurrent impulsive violence found an association with animal cruelty' (Felthouse & Kellert 1987.)
• 'The FBI recognizes that violent crimes against animals predict violent crimes against human beings. Despite this knowledge, schools and families do not ensure that children learn compassion and respect for animals.' (PSYETA News, 1998).
• 'Children who cannot control their aggressive impulses toward animals will frequently grow into adults who have difficulty inhibiting aggressive impulses toward people' (Barnard, N, 2000).

The Youth Diagnostic and Development Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico, recognizes the connection of animal abuse and violent behavior. In January of 1999, Project Second Chance was developed with the goal of helping juvenile delinquents to learn to explore their emotional health through interaction with animals.

The goal of the institution is to address the mental health, medical, and educational needs of the residents in a secure environment, while assisting them to develop the pro-social skills they need to become productive citizens. Each youth has a team comprised of a teacher, mental health worker, and case manager. Members of this multidisciplinary team select four participants for each session of the Project Second Chance dog program.

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The Youth Diagnostic and Development Center (YDDC) is one of the juvenile correctional facilities for the state of New Mexico. It is under the direction of Juvenile Justice Services, within the Children Youth and Families Department.

Boys and girls from throughout the state, ages 12 '21, are housed at YDDC. The population of approximately 100 youth is comprised of 25% female, 75% male; ethnically, the majority of residents are Hispanic, with a slightly smaller population of Anglo clients, and a small minority of Native American and Black youth.

Approximately 60% of the residents have Special Education needs, and the vast majority of clients meet diagnostic criteria for a mental health diagnosis; Conduct disorder is the most prevalent diagnosis for the males and Dysthymia and other mood disorders are the most prevalent diagnoses for the females. YDDC also houses a specialized sexual offender program. Caseworkers, educators, and mental health professionals attend an intensive specialized training from a nationally accredited program to address the needs of these residents. Commitments to YDDC are for One Year, Two years, or a Commitment until the resident reaches the age of 21.

Project Second Chance, an intensive three-week animal assisted program, is held seven times a year. PSC partners with the Animal Humane Association of New Mexico. Four shelter dogs from the Animal Humane Association are brought to YDDC where they are housed for three weeks. Each dog is paired with a resident, and the resident is responsible for the day-to-day care of the animal, maintaining the kennel, feeding, walking, and training. In addition, the residents receive training in the gentle method of dog training and complete lesson plans each day that relate to issues with animals such as over population, responsible animal ownership, and the 'Cruelty Connection' of animal abuse and interpersonal violence.

The Barbara Boat Inventory is used during the orientation phase of the program and provides an excellent avenue for discussion and reflection on the youth's past dog ownership. Most of the youth involved in the program have similar experiences with animals in their pasts.

• Most have owned a dog that was either a mix of Doberman, Chow, Rottweiller or Pit Bull. Dogs were owned for either protection or for fighting (as illegal dog fighting is common in the rural areas of New Mexico).
• Dogs were usually chained to a tree in the yard. Having a dog inside the home, taking a dog for regular walks, or the idea of a dog being a family member is not something that is familiar to most of the participants.
• Male participants tended to relate the dog ownership to their 'machismo' persona ' a big mean dog equals a big fierce person.
  The female participants fluctuated between relating to their dogs as their 'babies' and being totally apathetic toward the family pet.
• It was difficult for most of the youth to identify who was the main caretaker of the dog in their family home. It was rare when the youth claimed to be responsible for feeding and nurturing their dogs.
• Most of the youth reported that they have witnessed or been a participant in some form of animal abuse.
  Female participants reported boyfriends abusing their family's animals.
• Several of the youth were surprised to learn that their behavior - such as feeding a dog gun powder (a myth that it makes fighting dogs fierce) - could be considered abusive.
  Very few of the participants could name a dog that lived to an old age in the home, but instead their experiences were that the dog 'got sick and died,' 'ran away,' 'got run over,' or 'was given away.'
• All male participants stated that they felt neutering a dog would be a negative experience, assigning a human trait to the procedure stating it would 'take away their manhood.'

Based on the information gathered through the use of the Boat Inventory, lack of empathy was an easily identifiable issue. Additionally, compassion, respect, responsibility, and kindness needed to be enhanced in the client participants.

ANICARE, an empathy based intervention created by Ken Shapiro of the Psychologists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PSYETA), uses a cognitive-behavioral approach to treatment. ANICARE emphasizes the social-psychological cause of violence. PSC addresses the four basic components of ANICARE:

• Behavior towards animals and people.
• Internalized beliefs and attitudes regarding the treatment of animals.
• Experiences regarding animal abuse.
• Society's belief systems that encourage the abuse of animals.

Throughout the three-week session, lesson plans deal with these issues. The main component of PSC deals with empathy deficits through an exercise in which participants assume the role and perspective of the animal. PSC participants converse as if they were answering as the animal would, using 'I feel,' 'I think,' 'I want,' rather than 'the dog wants or needs.'

For example, during the second week of one PSC session, at the round table discussion, a client (John) bragged about how he had taught his dog the basic commands. John displayed a great deal of satisfaction, boasting that he was a great trainer. The exercise then refocused John from himself to the dog he was training through the following conversation:

'Well John, it sounds like you've had a great week. Why don't you tell us how Sparky is doing. Sparky, tell me how your week is going?

(John replies) 'Um, I guess he liked it.'

'He? Remember you are 'being' Sparky, try to answer as Sparky.'

'Uh, I learned a lot of stuff.'

'Really? Like what?'

'He lear'.I mean I learned to walk on a leash, and come when called.'

Wow! You must have been really excited! Who taught you that great stuff?'

'My trainer did.'

'You must really like your trainer.'

'Yeah.'

'What do you like about him?'

'Um, he takes good care of me.'

'Oh yeah? What does that mean: takes good care?'

'He feeds me.'

'Yes? Every day?'

'Yes.'

'So you depend on him?'

'Yep.'

'Sparky, how does that feel?'

'Good. He trains me, too.'

'And how does he do that?'

'He talks nice to me, gives me treats when I do good.'

'Boy, that must be nice.'

'Yeah, I like it when he talks nice.'

'What else does your trainer do?'

'He cleans my cage, and brushes me when my coat gets tangled.'

'That's great, 'cause you can't do those things yourself can you?'

'Nope, and it hurts when it gets all tangled'

'Well lucky for you John is there for you.'

John is slowly moving from a level of selfish pride in getting someone to do something to a place in which he recognizes needs and fears in others, the emotional dimension of empathy, and also how others depend on him to get their needs met when they are unable to care themselves, the compassion dimension of empathy.

The roundtable takes place numerous times throughout each week, and participants become more open, empathetic, and compassionate with each exercise. Daily journaling helps participants to express their emotions and document progress and challenges with their animal.

At the completion of the three-week program, the participants write a letter to the prospective adoptive families, sharing information about the dog. The letter helps bring closure for the participants and serves as the catalyst for a discussion session. Rather than focus on the animals departure, the discussion is about how the participant has offered something for the sake of someone else by training a dog to become a loving member of a family. Lesson plans for the last week focus on advocacy and philanthropy, reinforcing the idea of giving back to the community.

The greatest challenge in this program has been finding a measurement tool that will work for this population. Currently, the program has a client satisfaction survey that is given the last day of the session. The survey uses a Likert Scale, and asks participants to answer 14 questions that address topics covered in the program. Participants are asked to fill out a Post Session Report asking about various elements of the program. There is a follow up at six months and one year that asks if the client is working, going to school, if they have been in trouble with the law, if the client owns an animal, and what were the most important things the client remembers and uses from the program.

This past year the Balanced Emotional Empathy Scale (BEES) from Albert Mehrabian was used in PSC. However, upon scoring the scale it proved to be invalid for this application. Numerous factors were attributed to the problem. First, some of the items were difficult for the participants to understand. Secondly, the participants' attention spans were not sufficient to fully complete the questionnaire. Thirdly, there was a great deal of difficulty to get the staff to follow through on the administration of the questionnaire. At times, the participants were placed in a room to fill out the questionnaire as a group, leading to contamination from other participants. Finally, the mood of the day drove the answers. Since this population tends to live in the 'here and now,' some of the questionnaires reflected the participant's immediate emotional states. Factoring in parole issues, problems at school, and peer conflicts, the answers ended to be all over the page, and impossible to evaluate. However journals, reports, surveys and post reporting all tended to support the success of the program.

Two examples of a heightened empathy appear in the letters written to the adoptive families:

'Stuckers is a very loving dog. He will always sit by your side and is well trained. I think Stuckers once had a family, but they abandoned him and all he needs is some attention and love. Whoever adopts Stuckers is very lucky to have such a well behaved dog. I took very good care of Stuckers, and whoever adopts him, I hope will do the same'

'To whoever adopts my dog Sidnye[sic]: My dog is six months old and she is still a puppy. She is a great dog and very loving and playful. I guess what I like about her is that she is beautiful and playful, but hard headed like me, and that's what I like most about her. I have worked with Sidnye for three weeks and to let her go with someone new, knowing I won't ever see her again makes me feel sad cause I've really got attached to her. Please don't tie or cage this dog up cause she does not need to be in a cage like a wild dog does. She will probably get you mad at her the first few days you have her cause she don't know you. I can only tell you that you will love her cause she will love you. She needs lots of love an phrasie [sic]. Give her your hart [sic] and you will see what a great dog you have.'

Currently, an assessment and intervention tool is being developed by a therapist at YDDC that addresses social problem solving and decision making for high risk juveniles. Research shows that intervention programs that are cognitive-behavioral, prescriptive, and intensive show short-term benefits. This new intervention and tool will attempt to demonstrate and measure a change in long term behavior. Application of this intervention and measurement tool will be incorporated into PSC this year if the results of the research warrant it.

Bibliography:

Felthous, A.R., and and Kellert, S.R. (1987a) Childhood cruelty to animals and later aggression against people: a review. American Journal of Psychiatry, 144, 710 '717.

Miller, Catherine, (2001) Childhood Animal Cruelty and Interpersonal Violence'. Clinical Psychology Review, Vol. 21 No. 5. 735-749

Cannon, Angie, Study links animal cruelty to violence against humans. September, 1997, Knight Rider News Service.

PYSETA News, Fall 1998, Vol. 19

Barnard, Neil, MD (2000) The Psychology of Abuse, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.