Freedom Tails

Saving People...One Dog at a time

Freedom Tails is a non-profit organization that was started to support the local prison dog program at Stafford Creek Corrections Center (SCCC) in Aberdeen, WA. This is an entirely volunteer organization, with all donations going directly to helping with necessary veterinary care, food/toys/crates/collars & leashes while the dogs are in residence 24/7 for 10-12 weeks.  

Stafford creek was the first male prison in Washington State to implement a shelter/rescue to prison to adopter dog program in the spring of 2009. Since the September 2009 class, this worthwhile program has saved and re-homed 137 dogs by April of 2012 and will have 151 by August of 2012. 

Stafford Creek's dogs have been adopted to families in Washington state, Canada, and Oregon.  This program is a big success due to offender handlers dedicating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for 10-12 weeks, making the dogs more viable for adoption through teaching basic obedience skills, house training, and some socialization.  It has turned out to be so successful for the dogs, offenders, and communities that other prisons throughout the State have since begun their own program. 

Stafford Creek's dogs are normally adopted by the 3rd-4th week of class, however they remain in the prison until a very moving graduation ceremony at the end of class, when the dog handlers and their dogs demonstrate all of the dog's abilities for the adopters and the leash is ceremonially passed to the adopter, along with a daily journal kept by the handlers, the dog's vaccination and spay/neuter records.

Many of you might be wondering; how can I help or get involved, or would just like to know more about the program, well we have a website that can help you with most of your questions about the program. The website is Freedomtails.net and we are also on Facebook. 

We have a calendar of events tab on our home page, with one of the upcoming events on July 21st at the Westport Winery. We will be participating in a great HAVA (Harbor Association of Volunteers for Animals) adoption event, with an informational booth there, even if all of the current class dogs are adopted by then. We hope to see you at a future event or hear from you soon. 

Guest post provided by Ashlee Mitchell, board member for Freedom Tails and Deb Thomas-Blake, trainer.