Prisoners train dogs to help disabled

My story about the Puppies Behind Bars program, which is going on at Fishkill Correctional Facility and other prisons in the area, is in the paper today.

Here's an excerpt:

Edward Stoll, 51, originally from Warwick, Orange County, is training Midas, a 13-month-old male golden retriever.

Stoll, who is serving 20-years-to-life for second-degree murder, has been with the program for five years.

"I haven't regretted it yet," he said. "If you've got to be in prison, what better way to spend your time?"

Stoll talked about the various tasks the dogs will hopefully master, including taking off someone's socks, opening doors, taking clothes out of dryers and turning light switches on and off.

Midas, on cue, jumped up and flipped a wall switch.

"We teach them all kinds of things," Stoll said.

And the dogs give back companionship and affection, not only to the inmates who work with them, but to other inmates. Stoll said just about every day another prisoner will ask if they can pet his dog.

"There they are looking pretty miserable," he said, "and then they go away smiling."

Read the whole article and see the photo gallery and video created by Lee Ferris and Chrissie Williams, respectively, here.