Second Chances: The Transformative Relationship Between Incarcerated Youth and Shelter Dogs recounts the story of Project POOCH (Positive Opportunities―Obvious Change with Hounds), a program that united incarcerated boys with unwanted dogs from animal shelters. Both the boys and the dogs were considered undesirable, and few had found love in their lives. As a result of the project, the lives of many youths and dogs changed forever. The project faced many challenges. The correctional facility administrators needed much convincing before approval was given to start the onsite program with one boy and one dog. At one point, Dalton sold her house to keep the project funded. However, since 1993, over 95 percent of the youths have not returned to corrections once their sentence was served. Some of the boys have gone on to college, and all have been gainfully employed. The POOCH dogs learned basic obedience and went on to become beloved family pets; some even became companion dogs to autistic children, people with physical impairments, and war veterans diagnosed with PTSD. Dalton’s own story starts with a family background where her dogs were killed for minor behavioral problems, and leads to teaching incarcerated youth that they deserve unconditional love, first demonstrated by the transformational connection with canines. "Joan Dalton is an exceptional teacher who applied her knowledge of people and animals to develop Project POOCH, a remarkable pioneer program that heralds a paradigm shift in our approach to offender rehabilitation. Joan has demonstrated that young offenders can rehabilitate themselves and the animals by learning how to care for abandoned dogs, and both can return successfully to society. "The Project POOCH approach provides a win-win solution—youth are successfully rehabilitated, and previously unwanted dogs are adopted by society. Through her guidance and careful planning, Joan has facilitated the introduction of similar programs elsewhere. Everyone should read this book. It should be required reading for criminologists, legislators, judiciary, and custodial staff." — Dr. Elizabeth Ormerod , BVMS CF, veterinarian and chair of the Society for Companion Animal Studies, Churchill Fellow, CEVA UK Veterinarian of the Year 2021, and cofounder of Canine Partners, the UK assistance dog program "The special ability that dogs have to help foster empathy, responsibility, and compassion in people is well recognized. Making that connection and helping others make the leap from caring for dogs to caring about other people is not a simple task. It requires a special understanding of how one's connection to dogs can be deeply entwined in adverse childhood experiences that can lead to either violence or a heightened sensitivity to the suffering of others. Joan Dalton's journey demonstrates how she is in a perfect position to share the joys and frustrations of helping people and animals to heal, and Project POOCH stands as one of the most important projects using animals to help break the cycle of violence." — Randall Lockwood , PhD, retired senior vice president, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals "As the field of animal-assisted interventions began to grow, Joan Dalton's Project POOCH became a pioneering canine-centered vocational education model in 1993. Pairing neglected and abused youths and dogs brought about remarkable transformations in both the youths' and the dogs' behaviors, enabling both boys and dogs to forge new lives. Joan's passionate memoir is inspirational reading for anyone looking to see the positive applications that the human-animal bond can accomplish." — Phil Arkow , president and secretary, National Link Coalition, and instructor, Animal-Assisted Therapy and Activities, Harcum College "During my thirty-eight years in public service, I have never worked alongside someone as passionate, committed, and successful as Joan Dalton. Project POOCH won over the hearts and minds of the naysayers at warp speed. She was our 'X factor' during our legislative budget process. Elected officials all came away from tours of the institution with the utmost respect for Joan and Project POOCH. The fact that the program was designed by Joan to be sustainable without state funding remains a significant part of her accomplishment and legacy." — Robert Jester , former director, Oregon Youth Authority, Woodburn, Oregon "Working alongside Joan Dalton and Project POOCH for the past several years has been one of the most enriching experiences of my veterinary career. Witnessing firsthand the profound impact of the human-animal bond on the youth involved in the program has been nothing short of incredible. The genuine care and affection the young men show toward their dogs is a testament to the transformative power of this program. "Engaging with the youth, teaching them about canine health issues, and seeing their curiosity and eagerness to learn has been incredibly fulfilling. Th