BY KARI KUH

Danville-Boyle County Humane Society

Say hello to Cupid, Bailey, Indy and Izzy, the current Mutts with Manners class, and this week’s featured pets. DBCHS established MWM in 2009 and pairs carefully screened prison inmates with shelter dogs. The program is co-sponsored by Northpoint Training Center in Burgin, where inmates, prison staff and volunteers work together to provide dogs with basic obedience training, socialization, and behavior modification.

Prison inmates are the dogs’ handlers. They live with their dogs in the dormitory and attend weekly sessions with a volunteer trainer. After six to eight weeks, the Mutts graduate with many valuable skills; bonus: they’re confident and well-behaved, too. If you want to adopt a dog, why not bring home a fully-equipped model?

Six-year-old Bailey appears regal and mature in his picture, but this guy is a hoot and a half. He gallops like an eager, clumsy pony, those long, soft, floppy ears swaying. Bailey will slow down to get petted, closing his sweet brown eyes in pleasure.

Cupid is almost two years old and 100% sweet. He prefers to snuggle than play hard and wants to be right next to people. Cupid isn’t shy – he lies in your lap and gazes lovingly into your eyes. If you’re looking for love, Cupid is your guy.

Indy is a young dog with an infectious smile and a “rockstar” in playgroups. He can adapt his play style to any dog: sometimes Indy is rowdy, tumbling with his friends; others, he likes to run and chase. Once he’s worn out, he chills with the volunteers for some quality time.

Izzy is exuberantly affectionate; you can tell she wants to leap into your arms at first sight. She refrains from jumping on you, instead scootching over with a giant smile and a furiously wagging tail. Once she’s reached you, Izzy immediately rolls over to solicit belly rubs.

All our Mutts are up-to-date on vaccinations, microchipped, and ready to get sprung. To adopt a Mutts with Manners dog, complete an online application: https://www.dbchs.org/muttswithmannersdogs, and a volunteer will contact you. Let’s get these deserving and top-of-the-line pups into homes soon.

What do bourbon, Piggin’ Out Food Truck, and live music from Jonathan New and Rachel Crowe have in common? The Lucky Dogs St. Paddy’s Day Pawty. Friday, March 17, join DBCHS at Wilderness Trail Distillery from 6-9 pm. Help us find homes for some of our precious pups and enjoy a shamrockin’ good time. For more information about all of our upcoming events, visit https://www.facebook.com/DBCHS/events. We hope to see you soon.

Finally, DBCHS has limited free cat food and will post distribution details at Facebook.com/DBCHS — email karikuh@dbchs.org for more information.

The Danville-Boyle County Humane Society is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) established in 1972 that promotes the humane treatment of animals through compassionate care, engagement, and support. DBCHS always needs paper towels, disinfectant wipes, and bleach; we appreciate donations and are grateful for our giving community.