Advocate looks to bring Prison Cats program to St. Lawrence Valley Correctional and Treatment Centre

Alisha Lawrence firmly believes that making connections with furry friends can go a long way toward comforting and rehabilitating the incarcerated. And the fundraising and activities coordinator with the South Dundas Cat Rescue is working towards the lofty goal of initiating a foster or shelter program within Ontario correctional facilities, treatment centres and prisons, including the St. Lawrence Valley Correctional and Treatment Centre in Brockville.

Inspired by the 159 similar programs in the United States, Lawrence believes there are numerous benefits to fostering and sheltering cats and other small creatures inside government-run facilities to provide inmates and patients with a renewed sense of purpose and rehabilitation.

In between her job and helping her grandmother run the South Dundas Cat Rescue, Lawrence has spent her free time researching programs of this nature.

“These programs are proven to have extremely positive outcomes for those involved,” she told Brockvilleist.

According to a survey on the Prison Cats program across 36 states done by the organization Alley Cats Allies:

• 8 out of 10 facilities reported increased inmate sense of pride and accomplishment
• 85 per cent reported  increased work ethic among inmates
• 89 per cent reported the program humanizes and calms the facility
• 93 per cent reported an increase in inmate self-control
• 97 per cent reported increased inmate trust and relationship skills
• 100 per cent reported the program reduced stress levels among inmates. 

“Those statistics are all just about the inmates,” Lawrence said. “That doesn’t go into the relationships between the inmates and the staff in the facilities. It gives them a sense of accountability, right? Teaching these inmates to be responsible for something other than themselves and boosts serotonin levels.”

Lawrence is hoping that together with the Brockville OSPCA, the South Dundas Cat Rescue can initiate a Prison Cats program on a smaller scale within the St. Lawrence Valley Correctional and Treatment Centre. 

“I met with Aaron, a representative at OSPCA in Brockville and he agreed that we should try to get a program going. The response from him was overwhelmingly positive and we are very excited to move forward with this potential partnership.” 

Lawrence has also made contact with MPP Nolan Quinn to schedule a meeting to learn about the next steps of the legislative procedure.

“When I’m struggling with my mental health, all I want is for my critters to just love me. They love me and they’re my best friends. How many of those people do you think left pets behind when they got incarcerated?” Lawrence continued, “Inmates and patients in correctional facilities and treatment centres are just as deserving of opportunities to grow and care for something other than themselves.” 

Lawrence explained that although most of the ongoing programs in the US and Canada faced pushback upon their inception, the feedback she’s received so far have been overwhelmingly positive. She is hoping to receive more community feedback, suggestions, or potential partnership opportunities as she continues to pursue this goal.

For more information or to share your thoughts on the possibility of a Prison Cats program in Brockville, you can connect with Alisha Lawrence directly at Ontarioprisonpets@gmail.com.