John Ku – AKA – TGIF – Fri-Yay/Good News

~ John W. Howell
Chase Benoit, who is incarcerated at the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, holds a pair of service dogs in training in San Quentin, Calif., Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

Today’s good news story comes from the Ass0ciated Press

With tears and tail wags, San Quentin inmates reunite with puppies they raised into service dogs

By  OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ – Updated 3:17 PM CDT, April 1, 2025

SAN QUENTIN, Calif. (AP) — Hugs, tears, barking, and tail wagging abounded at San Quentin’s prison when two black Labradors reunited with the incarcerated men who helped raise them to be service dogs.

The emotional reunion brought Chase Benoit, Jared Hansen, and the 2-year-old dogs they helped train Wendel and Artemis. It was the men’s first time seeing their former canine companions again and their first time meeting the dogs’ disabled handlers in person.

Jared Hansen, right, who is incarcerated at the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, visits with Artemis as his handler, Benjamin Carter, looks on in San Quentin, Calif., Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

The encounter Friday in San Quentin’s main courtyard brought Benoit and Hansen full circle after helping launch the prison’s puppy training program in April 2023.

“Being in this program, it’s given me something that I think I’ve searched for my whole life,” said Benoit, who is serving 15 years to life for second-degree murder. “And that was meaningful purpose, doing something that’s good, better, bigger than myself and feeling like I’m part of something great.”

“He remembers me, for sure, I could tell when he came in. I’m so happy that you love him and that you have a bond,” Benoit told Quigley through an American Sign Language interpreter.

“He’s with me 24/7. He’s very gentle and good with people,” answered Quigley, a recent college graduate who took Wendel home in November after the black Labrador and golden retriever mix completed another six months of professional training outside prison.

Teaching pups the fundamentals in prison

Benoit and Jensen were part of an initial group of four incarcerated trainers who shared their 4-foot-by-10-foot cells with the 4-month-old puppies. The men divided the responsibility of caring for and teaching the dogs foundational commands for a year.

Canine Companions, a nonprofit based in Santa Rosa, runs the program and provides free service dogs to people with disabilities. It has built the San Quentin program to 16 trainers and two dog sitters who, as of this week, are training eight puppies.

Artemis, a black Labrador, was matched with Benjamin Carter, a veterinarian from Portland, Oregon, who uses a wheelchair and traveled to California for the reunion.

Handler Benjamin Carter looks at his service dog Artemis during a gathering at the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center in San Quentin, Calif., Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

Like proud parents, Carter and Hansen shared notes on Artemis’ calm and loving personality and penchant for cuddles.

“Seeing him in action and actually serving somebody in the community, it’s just … I’m at a loss for words right now. It’s amazing!” said Hansen, who has been in prison for 15 years for bank robbery.

Artemis, a service dog, is seen by the wheelchair of handler Benjamin Carter at the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center in San Quentin, Calif., Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg

Artemis, or Artie, pushes door plates, pulls doors open, fetches things around the house, and does many other tasks that would be hard for Carter alone.

First work, then cuddles

“He is responsive when he’s working. He is cuddly when he is off the clock. He’s an amazing companion. And all that structure, love, and trust was built from these guys here, so I’m just super grateful to them,” Carter said.

The puppies are placed with incarcerated trainers when they are between 2 and 4 months old and stay with them until they are about 16 to 17 months old. Every three months, the puppies are taken out for socialization experiences like interacting with children, riding in cars, or going to the grocery store.

Incarcerated men at the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center pet a service dog in training at the prison in San Quentin, Calif., Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Jared Hansen, who is incarcerated at the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, is greeted by Artemis, a service dog he helped train, in San Quentin, Calif., Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

The incarcerated men teach the dogs about 20 skills, including fetching, sitting, and walking on a leash. After the dogs leave the prison, they train for several more months with professional trainers.

People incarcerated at San Quentin and who participate in the program have been convicted of crimes that include bank robberies, gun offenses, and murder. Only those in an “earned living unit,” where residents participate in an array of self-help programs, are allowed to apply for puppy training. Inmates with records that include any animal or child cruelty crimes are not allowed to participate, said James Dern, national director of puppy programs for Canine Companions.

The value of time

Dern said dogs trained in their prison programs have a 10% greater success rate at becoming service dogs than other candidates because of the amount of time and care that incarcerated puppy raisers put into their dogs.

Jared Hansen, right, and other incarcerated men at the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center hold up their dog training certificates during a celebration in San Quentin, Calif., Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

“Being given something to care about other than themselves and the opportunity to give back and to sort of start to make amends for the things they have done in their lives can be life-changing,” Dern said.

San Quentin was once home to the largest death row population in the United States. The puppy training program started the year it transformed into a lockup where less-dangerous prisoners receive education, training, and rehabilitation. Since then, another 11 correctional facilities have joined the nonprofit for a total of 24 prison institutions, Dern said.

Speaking to a crowd at the prison chapel gathered to celebrate the program, Benoit credited Canine Companions with bringing out the humanity, love, and caring in the incarcerated community. “Instead of keeping it to themselves within their small community of professional trainers or even volunteer puppy raisers, they shared this with us in prison. I think that’s huge,” he said.

The good news in this story is that people who have made grave mistakes can find a new path by helping others. Today’s JohnKu talks about second chances. I hope you have a delightful weekend.

Another Start by John W. Howell © 2025

Should a mistake mean,

That one is damned forever?

Or can good works win.

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Published by John W. Howell

I have been working in business for over forty years and now have the time to work in special areas of interest. My passion has always been to create compelling stories of fiction. I have authored six novels and am working on my Seventh. The first novel is still in manuscript form and being utilized as a door stop in the laundry room. The second is a contemporary fiction novel of 89,000 words and is complete and I am currently seeking a publisher. I also write poetry but have not had the guts to share any with anyone. The one time I read a piece to a person their only comment was, “it doesn’t rhyme.” I will continue to write and hopefully my blog, Fiction Favorites at www.johnwhowell.com will provide some entertainment and an interesting thought or two. I live in the Austin area with my wife Molly and an assortment of loving pets.

80 thoughts on “John Ku – AKA – TGIF – Fri-Yay/Good News”

  4. The ideas that are out there, so damn inspiring Boss. And this program sounds like it’s growing, which is making a great idea even greater. Redemption should be possible and it’s good to know there are people who take that idea and turn it into beautiful things such as this.

    Liked by 2 people

  5. What a wonderful program. Incredible! Thank you for sharing this story with us, John. It gives hope where very little is available. 🌞

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I used to live where I passed San Quentin prison often. There is not a more desolate place on Earth. It is wonderful to see these prisoners get a chance to build their self-worth in what would otherwise be a hopeless place to find redemption. Thanks, Gwen. I hope you have a super weekend.😊

      Liked by 1 person

  12. A sweet story, and we can all hope that this program can be one step on the path to rehabilitation for these men. San Quentin is a formidable prison and not for the weak of heart.

    Liked by 2 people

  13. Thanks for doing this story! My pittie is an alumni from the Gwinnett County Jaildog program in Georgia! The program was closed last year but i hope they reopen it. Its important for prisoners and the dogs.

    Liked by 2 people

  20. “Being in this program, it’s given me something that I think I’ve searched for my whole life,” said Benoit, who is serving 15 years to life for second-degree murder. “And that was meaningful purpose, doing something that’s good, better, bigger than myself and feeling like I’m part of something great.”

    This statement is the meat of the program for me. When people feel good about themselves, they do positive things.

    Liked by 1 person

  28. A wonderful happening. Animals teach us so much if we let them.

    As your JohnKu says, One mistake should not condemn.

    However, some mistakes like murder, rape and other horrendous crimes of violence are in a league beyond mistakes.

    OX OX OX

    Liked by 1 person

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