Arlington County Detention Facility Brings Pet Therapy to Inmates

The Arlington County Sheriff’s Office along with the Department of Human Services (DHS) partnered with People. Animals. Love. (PAL) to bring therapy dogs to the inmates of the Detention Center.  Pet Therapy has been known to develop inmate thinking. These improvements have been shown in several principles to include: safety, trustworthiness, peer-support, self-help, collaboration and empowerment.

On Tuesday April 9, 2019, five volunteers from PAL, along with their therapy dogs, came to visit inmates who are currently participating in a program designed to increase moral reasoning. It’s the hope of DHS Staff that this experience will help set the ground work for improved behavior, relationships, mental health and overall morality.