Sheriff Joe's solution to homeless pets in Phoenix AZ - Page 1

Here's an excerpt of an email I received today about Sheriff Joe. He known as the toughest Sheriff in the USA.  But he's got a very soft heart for animals, especially dogs and cats.

Maricopa County Arizona was spending approx. $18 million dollars a year on stray animals, like cats and dogs. Sheriff Joe offered to take the department over, and the County Supervisors said okay. 
 
The animal shelters are now all staffed and operated by prisoners. They feed and care for the strays. Every animal in his care is taken out and walked twice daily. 
 
He now has prisoners who are experts in animal nutrition and behavior. They give great classes for anyone who'd like to adopt an animal. He has literally taken stray dogs off the street, given them to the care of prisoners, and had them place in dog shows. 
 
The best part? His budget for the entire department is now under $3 million. Teresa and I adopted a Weimaraner from a Maricopa County shelter two years ago. He was neutered, and current on all shots, in great health, and even had a microchip inserted the day we got him. Cost us $78. 
 
The prisoners get the benefit of about $0.28 an hour for working, but most would work for free, just to be out of their cells for the day.  Most of his budget is for utilities, building maintenance, etc. He pays the prisoners out of the fees collected for adopted animals. 
 

 

 A common sense approach to several of societal issues.......if only other counties would be so far sighted! Thank you Preston for sharing this. I know of Joe because I was born there, and I know his reputation for being a tough love type Sheriff with no nonsense like we have in our state (catering to the prisoners in both county and state and federal prisons). I was unaware of this particular program.

This sounds like a great idea...I think he's onto something very special...It's a win - win situation...I can't believe that more counties haven't come up with this idea before...the prisoners have time out of their cells and are doing something that is very beneficial to them and to the animals...It also takes strays off the streets and into caring hands...

~Bob~

Is this the same guy whose bungled swat operation callously murdered a family pet and destroyed a family's home? The same department who needlessly shot a dog on its own front porch? Or is that a different Arizona sheriff?

These programs are springing up all over and seem to be really working for both the inmates and the dogs they save from being destroyed. 

Hodie and folks like her are on the cutting edge of rescuing abandoned dogs.  This is nothing new to her.  She has been taking them for years.  It's people like this that make the world a better place for people and dogs.

now if the rest will play follow the leader!

KC, could be because all police depts have officers who shouldn't be there and make wrong or abusive moves when they feel stressed.  Maricopa County has hundreds of officers and most are good.  I think Sheriff Joe's program is changing attitudes of the police towards strays and abandoned Dogs.  In Phoenix only a few officers are criminal (involved with the cartels, etc) but very, very few (actually astoundingly few).  So far the highest number of "criminal officers" in the past were in Chi-town (corrupted by low pay, pay as you go traffic stops, and the "outfit"--numbers have dropped substantially since the death of the tony a, the big tuna); the big apple (of Frank Serpico fame) and NO.  The highest ratio ever discovered was clearly in New Orleans and only time will tell if they are being routed out successfully.  What has always surprised me the most was the almost non existent corruption of the officers in "sin city", ie lost wages, nevada.  Why the corruption has been so low in that dept is a mystery to me.

I think what he's doing is outstanding.  I hope others will expand their programs by modeling them after the Maricopa program.  This is something that can really help to solve the problem of so many homeless animals, give the inmates a career path, and even help with their rehabilitation.  

I vote we offer Sherrif Joe the greatest opportunity in his life.

The chance to FIX all that is wrong and evil in the state of NJ. John Corzine  how's that!!!!!!