
We recently received a letter from one of our youths, and it reminded us of why we do what we do. His letter was titled "A Joyful Experience:"
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Dear Ms. Dalton,
I would like to thank you for giving me the wonderful experience of working here at Project POOCH. While here at POOCH, I have gained an abundance of valuable work experience. Most of all, I learned how to train and groom dogs. While working with dogs, I learned the importance of patience, which I had trouble with before I was employed here. These dogs have also taught me one of the most valuable lessons of all, the value and respect of another life. While working at POOCH, I have adopted out five dogs, and am working on my sixth. These dogs ranged from easy (Elka) to challenging (Missy - the border collie). Although, no matter the difficulty level of the dog, each one made me a better trainer. I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to work here at Project POOCH.
Sincerely,
Andrew
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We love hearing success stories about both our youth and our dogs. It brightens our day whenever we receive a letter like Andrew's, explaining the ways in which the program has made a difference. We know that when Andrew gets out of MacLaren, he will be able to apply his acquired skills in the real world in order to benefit the community. We strongly believe that with the right resources, everyone is capable of change and success, and this even extends to our pooches themselves.
Many of our dogs, like Missy, the challenging border collie that Andrew worked with, just needed some extra love, patience, and training in order to become adoptable. Missy is doing very well in her forever home and is a beloved member of her family, just like the other dogs that Andrew trained and adopted out. It's incredible to witness the positive behavioral changes and increased hope in our youth and dogs alike, and that is what keeps us going. Thank you for your continued support of our project and for making a different in the lives of Andrew and Missy.