The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office and the Santa Maria Valley Human Society have teamed up to train dogs and socialize cats with jail inmates.
The jail will allow male inmates to live with 10-12 dogs for up to six weeks at a time at the future North County Branch jail. The dogs will be trained and better prepared for adoption.
The jail will also bring in six shy cats to live with female inmates for 30 days to help the cats with socialization.
The Santa Maria Valley Humane Society says the training and socialization will better prepare the pets for new homes. The program is expected to save up to 150 dogs and cats each year from euthanasia.
