Mazie meets inmates who she'll train with

A Service dog in training got a firsthand look at her soon to be new home the Southern State Correctional Facility.
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PTSD Service Dog in Training Meets the Inmates Who Will Train Her Kristen Tripodi 1 09/12/2014 06:43 PM09/12/2014 11:26 PM SPRINGFIELD, Vt. - A Service dog in training got a firsthand look at her soon to be new home the Southern State Correctional Facility. Mazie was eager to tour the facility. It was her first time sniffing the grounds and meeting the inmates. Mazie is a service dog in training with the Blue Star Mothers of Vermont. The nonprofit organization provides help and assistance to veterans in need. For the next step of her training she'll call this facility home, working with a pair of inmates. “The dogs are going to have a crate right in the inmate’s cell. Live with the inmate, work with the inmate, accompany them around their daily activities, have special time for the dog training and stuff like that. But just get used to being around people while they are doing the training,” said Joshua Rutherford, the Chief of Security at the Southern State Correctional Facility. Before that happens the Rutherford says the inmates will go through an extensive screening process to find the best fit. He says that process includes eliminating anyone with a violent background. “For guys who are doing a long sentence it gives them something to do and something to be invested in. It gives them a way to give something back to the community,” said Rutherford. During her yearlong stay at the facility, Mazie will learn tasks specific to helping veterans deal with PTSD, such as turning lights off and on and waking someone up during a nightmare. But in the process Rutherford says she will also be a great companion for the inmates. “A lot of the inmates just like dogs. This is a fairly sterile environment in some ways and it just adds a more human touch and a lot of the guys were just happy to see the dog and be able to pet the dog and play with her for a few minutes,” said Rutherford. And a few minutes was all it took for mazie to make new friends. She will have a few more visits before moving into the facility early next year. Next year the Blue Star Mothers of Vermont hope to expand the program and train four more service dogs just like Mazie. To learn more about the program click here to visit the Blue Star Mothers’ website. Copyright 2014 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.