# @canineorg on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DGGjNmivHUP
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/29185153-canineorg-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/5668b85662.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-02-15T17:46:14.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Canine Companions (@canineorg) — https://gondola.cc/canineorg

## Caption

🐾 Patty and Canine Companions therapy dog Fiske look forward to visiting the #SanQuentin Rehabilitation Center in Northern California as volunteers, a weekly trip that began just over a year ago.

For the past few years, the cacorrections has been transforming the traditional prison system to a more unique facility, focusing on improving public safety through rehabilitation and education. This transfer and new program focus, however, caused a great deal of stress and anxiety among those who are incarcerated. The rehabilitation center decided that therapy dog visits would greatly benefit individuals through this process. 

For many incarcerated individuals at San Quentin, it's not uncommon to have spent the last 20 to even 40 years there. But, it's a rarity to experience any form of physical touch, let alone the ability to take in the love, comfort and joy that #dogs bring. 

Fortunately, Fiske is able to offer his companionship and more because of the new transformation in the prison system.

Patty finds that men in the hospital ward are individuals who need Fiske's unspoken comfort the most.

One incarcerated individual receiving cancer treatments couldn't wait to see Fiske during his weekly visits, and he shared that their 15-minute visits are the most enjoyable moments he’s had in 17 years. 

In addition to their weekly visits to San Quentin, Patty and Fiske occasionally make impromptu visits, which, sometimes, makes a larger impact. Patty shares, "I’m stopped multiple times a day because they wanted to pet my dog. I had one man looking at me, and I knew that look. I asked, 'Do you want to pet my dog?' He beamed and said, 'Yes!' He shared it had been 13 years since he had pet a dog."

This particular individual soon started crying and turned to the other men around him and was not ashamed to say, "Wow, I’m crying. I’m crying" - because he didn't expect the response to be so emotionally powerful. ❤️ 

➡️ Link in bio to learn more about our therapy dog program, or visit canine.org/therapydogs.

## Stats

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## Tags

dogs, sanquentin

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