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62 maconmagazine.com | OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2021 I n early February, a litter of three pups arrived at the Burruss' Correctional Training Center (BCTC) in Forsyth. They joined five other dogs and began their 18-month journey through the Vision Guide Dog Program where they live and learn, together, how to become the best guide dogs. The Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, (GDF) a nonprofit organization in New York, provides the dogs, which are bred specifically in Long Island, New York, to become guide dogs. It costs more than $50,000 to breed, raise, train and place one assistance dog. They arrive at Burrus and multiple other destinations via plane, train and automobile. Those who fly actually have their own flight attendant assigned to them. These attendants have special licensing and are stationed all over the US. In 2008, the GDF chose the Burruss Center to host its guide-dog training program for several reasons. One, it is adjacent to the Georgia Public Safety Training Center, which uses Burruss' inmates for various details. As a result, BCTC Pawsitive programming LOCAL INMATES HELP TRAIN GUIDE DOGS FOR BLIND PEOPLE BY JANE WINSTON inmates generally have good institutional records and are able to meet the qualifications for the Vision program. Another benefit is that the Department of Corrections headquarters is located nearby at the former Tift College campus and brings many visitors to the area and to visit Burruss. These visits are good for the dogs and tend to generate support for the program. Also supporting the program is Purina, which donates the dog food, and Central Georgia Technical College (CTCG), which provides the inmates the opportunity to earn certification through virtual courses taught by a veterinarian. Pet first aid, CPR, grooming, animal caretaking and dog training all come together to provide the inmate with a veterinary-helper certificate. "It's the best job you can have in the prison, training a dog and giving back to someone," one inmate said. To be eligible for the program, an inmate must be 18, a high school graduate or hold a GED. Their crime type may preclude