Dinah is a lovely cat who enjoys cuddling and being sweet. In the author’s home county, local government buildings use inmates with good behavior for cleaning and landscaping jobs, based on their crime history. The animal shelter also benefits from this program, as it helps the inmates’ mental health by allowing them to care for animals instead of being isolated.
Eight years ago, the author and her husband visited the animal shelter to adopt a cat. They were surprised to find an inmate in the cat room, as they were unaware of the program at the time. The inmate, speaking with a thick Hispanic accent, pointed out a very sweet cat named Dinah. The couple immediately felt a connection with her. They realized later that they had not thanked the inmate before he left to continue his work. The author hopes he is doing well and believes he helped many pets find loving homes through his suggestions. She thinks that anyone who appreciates a cat has kindness in them. The inmate may never know the impact he had on their family.
What do you think about the role of inmates in helping animal shelters?
Sources:
Reddit source: Reddit, shared by u//u/popcorn-drifter3