New Leash on Life USA

New Leash on Life USA facilitates fresh starts in Delco for justice-impacted individuals and at-risk dogs like Finn (below).

Last summer, Finn arrived at a shelter underweight with pressure sores, a severe flea infestation, and wear marks on his teeth that may have come from chewing on a crate. Despite this trauma, he was social, wiggly, and took treats very happily!  He got a great start at another reentry program location and learned a lot of basic skills with the participant handlers there.  

However, due to Finn's tick borne illnesses, heartworm disease, and gastrointestinal upset, he needed to move to our foster program at SCI Chester where he could be more closely monitored and work with experienced handlers who could keep him calm, cool, and collected - essential to his health during his treatment and recovery period.

Now, Finn is finished with his treatments and is ready for his forever home! We’re so proud of how far he’s come and how well all of the incarcerated handlers have done in caring for and working with him so that he can find his new family.

(P.S. Interested in adopting Finn? Fill out the adoption application here: https://www.shelterluv.com/matchme/adopt/NLOL/Dog)

About New Leash Programs in Delco:
New Leash has two Prison Reentry Program locations in Delco: George W. Hill Correctional Facility and SCI Chester. These intensive programs leverage the human-animal bond to facilitate fresh starts for both the incarcerated participants and the rescue dogs. During the first three months (pre-release), participants attend numerous workshops to prepare for reentry while training and taking care of their rescue dogs 24/7, who are then adopted out in the community. During the second three months (post-release), participants complete paid internships at community employers; receive individualized case management, transportation, and referrals to other services; and work to secure permanent employment by the end of the program.

The Foster Program at SCI Chester includes incarcerated individuals with extensive experience who can provide 24/7 care and training for the most at-risk dogs. Because of this special program, New Leash is able to act quickly to rescue those dogs in immediate danger of euthanasia, to care for significant medical needs, and to foster our canine graduates until they find the right home. Our staff support these participants with life skills workshops and additional coaching in dog training and animal care as they make these life-saving opportunities possible.

Across our programs, we work with local shelters to rescue the dogs at highest risk of euthanasia because of medical challenges, minor behavioral issues, breed prejudice, and overcrowding. Our rescue dogs have often experienced abandonment, abuse, neglect, and trauma – and our justice-impacted participants can often relate to that from their own life experiences. Participants have the opportunity to not only create a therapeutic relationship with a dog but also have the confidence-building experience of saving and training a dog who would have been euthanized, which translates into additional success with other life and career goals.

About New Leash:

Based in the greater Philadelphia region, New Leash on Life USA is an innovative organization that facilitates fresh starts for justice-impacted individuals and shelter dogs at high risk of euthanasia. Our unique programs are based on animal-assisted therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and trauma-informed practices. Since 2011, New Leash has served 618 justice-impacted individuals and rescued 291 at-risk dogs, and New Leash sees an extremely low one-year recidivism rate of 10%.

Learn more and get connected with us! https://newleashonlife.org/