Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office
Joe Arpaio, Sheriff
For Release: April 06, 2016
CONTACT: Sheriff Arpaio
“Ruff” times ahead for Sheriff’s Office MASH Unit dogs as they
visit military veteran inmates in jail
(Maricopa County, AZ) A number of dogs in the Maricopa County Sheriff’s
Office MASH Unit are going to be doing some “ruff” time as part of a new jail
program. The dogs, ranging from pit bulls to labs to terriers, will be shuttled from
their home at the Sheriff’s Office First Avenue Jail to visit inmates in the veterans
pod at Towers Jail in the Durango Complex every Wednesday.
Studies have been found that the presence of “man’s best friend” from time to time
help inmates deal with stress. Many veterans upon returning home from
deployments overseas have also turned to dogs for companionship. Some veterans
worked with dogs on the battlefield and find the continued interaction with them
soothing. Additionally, the program will also help the incarcerated dogs relate to a
caring human touch.
“We owe the veteran a special debt of gratitude, even after their issues with the
law,” added Arpaio.
The veterans pod was established by Sheriff Joe Arpaio to house only military
veterans as a means to bring about rehabilitation that is tailored to their source
problems, including PTSD.
All the dogs in the MASH Unit are formerly abused and neglected, having been
seized from their prior owners under criminal circumstances by detectives in the
Animal Crimes Unit. MASH, or, Maricopa Animal Safe Haven, was instituted by
Sheriff Arpaio fifteen years ago and are housed in a fully air-conditioned facility at
First Avenue Jail. The dogs are cared for daily by female inmates.
A plan is in place to have the dogs visit all classifications of inmates with the
exception of disciplinarian pods.
550 West Jackson Street, Phoenix, Arizona 85003 | Phone (602)876-1801 | Fax: (602)258-2081 | Media Contact: [email protected]
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550 West Jackson Street, Phoenix, Arizona 85003 | Phone (602)876-1801 | Fax: (602)258-2081 | Media Contact: [email protected]
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