Reentry Center residents lend a helping hand to Idaho Humane Society

BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — The Idaho Humane Society recently formed a special partnership with the Treasure Valley Community Reentry Center, giving inmates the chance to work with dogs, cats others animals and IHS staff.

A little more than a month old, the partnership has opened doors for the volunteers. It's helped them relieve stress for both them and the animals at the adoption shelter. One of the residents, Tyler Damron, spoke about the things they do at the adoption center.

"We come in here. We walk dogs. We play with the cats. Clean up when is necessary," Damron said. "And yeah, just have a good time with the animals, show them some love because a lot of these animals need some TLC" (tender love and care).

That tender love and care is critical for some of the high-energy animals that don't normally get the chance to interact with a lot of humans.

"To me, I feel like the ones that are jumping around and going crazy, they're the ones that need the most attention, and I feel like when we come in and we work with those dogs, even just walking them around the parking lot or in the grass areas, they get that human interaction that they need and that calms them down a little bit," Floyd Engehardt, another resident said.

Before they could jump in and volunteer with the animals, they had to get trained on all types of animal behavior. Resident Max Murillo spoke on the urge the help in whatever way possible.

"So we have done here a lot of classes to learn about dogs behavior, cats behavior... whatever we can do for them, we can help them out and volunteer."

Already, the residents and making friendships at the humane society, with both the staff and the pets that stay long-term. One resident, Regan Adeng, mentioned that he was initially nervous at the opportunity. Adeng, originally from Sudan, noted that he wasn't comfortable with dogs, but that the experience has changed how he views them.

"For me personally in the beginning I was nervous," Adeng said. "But most of the dogs here are well trained and you know it's easy to connect with them right away without any problems. It took me a minute but now I feel more comfortable walking a dog out and spending some time with them so it's been good."

Another thing that's been just as beneficial for the volunteers is the appreciation that IHS staff has shown them.

"Everyone here is super happy to have us here, to get some of these animals out that may not have been out recently," Brandon Mohr, another resident said.

The work is paying dividends, greatly benefitting his mental health, and the mental health all the other volunteers.

"From the guys that come down with us, I've noticed great positive changes in them, not only in here but in the center," Mohr said.

As their time wrapped up at the center for the day, resident Jeremy Griffin sat down, and with a cat in his lap, reflected on how the simple interactions made at the Humane Society make such a difference in their lives.

"It's huge," Griffin said. "It's super big because like I've mentioned before we're like them in an aspect. A simple phone call or a simple hi or how you're doing, five minutes of your time can mean the world to somebody."

For adoption info, check out the Idaho Humane Society website, and to see other projects TVCRC residents worked on, check out the IHS Facebook Page.

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