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Dogs rescued from Louisiana floods to help teach Florida inmates life skills

The historic flooding in Louisiana left thousands of people without homes, many of them winding up in shelters, but many pets were not as fortunate.

“There are very few pet friendly shelters so unfortunately some people have no choice, they can't bring their dogs or cats or animals with them,” Jen Deane, of Pit Sisters, said.

Action News Jax met the lovable Allie and the super serene Atlas Monday. Both of them, along with Zoey, Collette and Boudin, were rescued in Louisiana after being displaced by the flooding.

Deane coordinated with Best Friends Animal Society to help bring them to Jacksonville. According to Deane, all the dogs had been in a shelter for several months before the flooding began. By transporting them to Jacksonville they helped free up space at the shelters in Louisiana for lost or abandoned dogs.

“Working on getting them vet care, getting them spayed and neutered, vaccinated and ready to go,” Deane said.

But the dogs' journey doesn’t end there, all five will participate in the TAILS program, which stands for Teaching Animals and Inmates Life Skills.

“What we've heard from the inmates that participate is they learn patience, they learn team work, they learn responsibility,” Deane said.

As the dogs become accustomed to their new home in Florida, the rescued animals will now be the ones doing all the rescuing.

“We've seen firsthand folks that have changed completely just by interacting with one dog,” Deane said.

And it’s a win-win situation because once the dogs complete the program they’ll be trained, which helps them become more adoptable.

“The TAILS program is a huge lifesaving effort. One of the top reasons for folks turning in their animals to shelters is training,” Deane said.

After the dogs finish their eight weeks of training for the TAILS program they'll be available for adoption. Pit Sisters is also looking for sponsors for the dogs to help pay for the training they’ll receive.

If you’re interested in adopting or becoming a sponsor visit www.PitSisters.org for more information.

Meet Collette, Allie, Atlas, Boudin, and Zoey. They were all rescued after being displaced from the flooding in...

Posted by Lorena Inclán Action News Jax on Monday, September 5, 2016

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