Providence Animal Control Center

CANINE PROGRAM

My name is Katenna Jones and during the Spring Semester of 2002, I was a Teacher's Assistant in the Psychology Department at Brown University. The course was an Animal Behavior Laboratory and as part of the course requirements, students were asked to participate in an out of class project. Since I am personally interested in canine behavior, I developed one such project to allow students to gain hands'on experience with canine behavior, various breeds, training techniques, and shelter environments. I approached John Washburn at the beginning of the semester and he was not only generous enough to allow the students to work with the dogs at the Providence Animal Control Center, he was enthusiastic.

Groups of two students came to the shelter once a week for about two hours at scheduled times. Students received a brief orientation with me at the shelter as to the shelter's procedures, which dogs can be worked with, where to work with dogs, and how to teach basic commands to dogs. While at the shelter, students provided dogs with socialization and exercise and they learned to train dogs on commands such as sit, stay, down, off, and heel. In addition to their experiences at the shelter, students supplemented their work with research on canine behavior, behavior training, and breed characteristics.

The response of the students at the end of the program was phenomenal. Some came in afraid of dogs, few had ever set foot in a shelter, and all left with a new understanding of and respect for both. John Washburn was eager to see the program succeed and was more than flexible in accommodating us. He was always available to meet with me, approved the first schedule I brought to him as well as the subsequent changes without batting an eye, and whenever I saw him he showed interest in and concern for the program throughout the semester. As the semester proceeded, Richard Sousa became extremely active in the program. He was always more than willing to discuss the program and the students' progress when I stopped in, was obviously excited when the program seemed to be positively influencing adoptions, and showed more concern for the animals' welfare than one could have ever expected. Every time I spoke with him he was friendly, professional, and courteous and was always coming up with ideas to make the program better.

I thoroughly enjoyed working with both John and Richard and could not have asked for more from either. They accommodated every aspect of the program and went out of their way to see it succeed. Together, they assisted in teaching a group of college students' lessons they could otherwise never have learned. I came to the shelter skeptical, based on past experiences with public shelters. Both John and Richard disproved any apprehensions I had and proved to me beyond a shadow of a doubt that both are excellent in the positions they hold and that they are committed to animal welfare. On behalf of myself and the students in the program, I would like to thank them for all they did and commend them for the work they do. I look forward to seeing the program continue.

Sincerely Katenna Jones and the Canine Program students from Brown University