Kate Mara, who you may know from the film Fantastic Four or the Netflix political drama House of Cards, is helping a few fantastic rescue dogs find their forever homes. She’s covering the adoption fees of 10 dogs that happen to have diplomas. First, they were saved from being euthanized, and then they graduated from Canine CellMates’ Beyond the Bars program.
So when Kate heard that the nonprofit had lost its headquarters, leaving the recent grads without a home, she did what she could to step in and help.
While the actress and her family were living in Atlanta for the filming of FX’s upcoming Class of ’09, she heard about Canine CellMates and the Animal Legal Defense Fund. The Canine CellMates program began in 2013 and is run in coordination with the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office and Fulton County Sheriff’s Department. The program pairs dogs with inmate handlers inside Fulton County Jail for a 10-week rehabilitative program.
“Its humane community is one of the best in the country, constantly seeking innovative ways to create opportunities for people to experience the unconditional love of an animal,” says Mara.
First, suitable dogs are selected and sprung from Fulton County Animal Services, a high-volume, open-intake county shelter. Every selected dog undergoes extensive temperament testing to see if they are a fit for the training program. The chosen dogs and their handlers spend nine-weeks learning basic obedience and finally graduate from the program by passing a test similar to the AKC’s K9 Good Citizen test.
“During the year-long course, the men develop the tools they need to break the cycle of criminal behavior while the dogs learn the skills they need to succeed in their forever homes,” said the Animal Legal Defense Fund.
So it’s a win-win for both those incarcerated and the dogs. But unfortunately, the lease on Canine CellMates’ headquarters recently ended, and the owner of the building decided to sell the property. So this left the nonprofit without a facility, training center, or a home for their recent graduates.
To assist in placing the dogs as soon as possible, Kate Mara is partnering with the Animal Legal Defense Fund to promote the benefits of alternative sentencing programs. Plus, she’s covering the adoption fees for all ten dogs that desperately need homes.
“We are so grateful to Ms. Mara for her support of our Canine CellMates program and her concern for the well-being of the dogs who play such an important role in helping people transform their lives. While the Canine CellMates leadership works to secure a permanent home for the program, we are glad to know that these dogs will be placed in permanent homes through Ms. Mara’s financial support of their adoption,” says Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.
Canine CellMates is looking for a permanent facility in Fulton County, Georgia, to house the dogs and continue this important program. If you are interested in donating space, please contact susan@caninecellmates.org.
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