Project POOCH

Project POOCH (POOCH is an acronym for "Positive Opportunities, Obvious Change with Hounds") is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that aims to provide life-changing opportunities for adjudicated youth and shelter dogs who could benefit from our small kennel and personal approach.

In 1993, the program was started by Joan Dalton at MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility in Woodburn, Oregon, United States.

Dogs from local animal shelters are taken in by Project POOCH and work with the youth in the program, many of whom have been convicted of serious crimes such as murder and sexual assault.

For her doctoral dissertation, Sandra Merriam-Aduini studied the effects of Project POOCH had on violent, incarcerated male juveniles inmates, studying effects on recidivism, reformation, and behavioral changes linked to human-animal interactions emphasizing responsibility, patience, and compassion.

Between 1993 and 1999, Merriam-Aduini found zero recidivism of POOCH participants and that the program achieved educational expectations and judicial orders with success rates, including marked behavior improvements in "respect for authority, social interaction and leadership", as well as "growth in areas of honesty, empathy, nurturing, social growth, understanding, confidence level, and pride of accomplishment".