Our pet of the week is Monkey.

Monkey is a happy-go-lucky Labrador-shepherd mix who came to us when her family could no longer care for her. This 5-year-old is full of energy and has never met a stranger. Monkey loves people — grown-up or small — and gets along with dogs and cats, too. What a catch! But, wait. there’s more…

Monkey is currently at the Northpoint Training Center in Burgin, in the Northpoint Trained Canines Program, learning how to be the best doggo she can be. DBCHS’s Mutts With Manners program matches carefully screened prison inmates with a shelter dog for a 6-week period.

Working together with a professional trainer, prison staff and volunteers, Monkey and other Mutts With Manners dogs learn basic obedience training, socialization, behavior modification, and receive one-on-one companionship during their stay.

The inmates and the dogs live together in the prison dormitory and attend weekly training sessions. They follow a strict training regimen that provides the dogs with the structure they need to adapt to a traditional home. Demand for balanced, trained dogs is high as proven by other successful model prison training programs across the United States.

In the end, the dogs participating in the program graduate with a wealth of valuable skills that help give them an increased chance (or a paw’s up!) on finding a loving home.

“Mutts with manners” are more confident, better behaved, ready to start a new life with a loving family. They are all AKC Canine Good Citizen certified, too!

If you’d like to adopt Monkey or another Mutts With Manners dog, please visit https://www.dbchs.org/muttswithmannersdogs to complete an online application.  A Mutts With Manners volunteer will contact you to schedule a meet-and-greet.

About us: the Danville-Boyle County Humane Society was established in 1972 to promote the humane treatment of companion animals through sheltering, adoptions, community education, and spay and neuter programs. As a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization, DBCHS is dependent on monetary gifts from generous individuals and businesses in our community.

Visit DBCHS.org or mail a check to DBCHS P.O. Box 487, Danville, KY 40423-0487. Your monetary gift will make a difference in a deserving dog or cat’s life, and we appreciate every dollar. We also need cleaning supplies, especially disinfectant wipes, disinfectant spray, bleach, paper towels, liquid laundry detergent, hand soap, and hand sanitizer. Feel free to drop off donations when we’re open: Monday to Friday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturdays between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.