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Dogs Can Help Prevent Suicide Attempts In UK Prisons

Mon, 01 Oct 2007

Dogs and cats are to help prisoners across the country from attempting suicide and reduce depression levels in UK prisons .

According to watchdogs, looking after dogs and cats and other pets will stop depressed inmates killing themselves at the current rate of two a week.

Prisons and Probation Ombudsman Stephen Shaw commented: "It is not just relationships with other human beings that are fractured when you go to jail . The intensity of our attachment to animals can mean losing touch with them is almost as hurtful as losing touch with family ."

"Having a pet to look after and train has a genuinely therapeutic effect," he added.

Mr Shaw, who investigates prison deaths, highlighted similar pet projects working in US jails stating that "America claims remarkable results for a programme linking problem youths with problem dogs ."

Shaw added that studies have shown how pets for prisoners "reduced violence, drug abuse and even suicide" in many of America’s prisons .

Maureen Hennis, chief of charity ‘Pets as Therapy’ added: "The benefits animals can bring are huge. Just stroking a dog in prison would bring down stress levels and reduce the suicide rate ."

However, Norman Brennan of the ‘Victims of Crime’ Trust angrily hit back at the proposals, saying: "This is nonsense. When people go to prison they forfeit rights and having cats and dogs makes a mockery of the whole system."
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