Offender art raises money for prison Greyhound program

PUTNAMVILLE -- Nineteen hand-drawn pieces of art work donated by Putnamville Correctional Facility offenders to the Pet Sitters International Charity Auction will benefit the Prison Greyhound Program.

Pet Sitters International is an educational organization for professional pet sitters which enabled the Greyhound program to benefit from their success.

The auction was conducted recently at the Alexander Hotel in downtown Indianapolis and the Prison Greyhound sponsors were able to convey their stories with a nationwide audience of 225 pet sitters and vendors.

A white binder containing the inmates' drawings emerged as the highest bidding item and closed for $7,000 to an individual from the Carolinas. The total raised was $21,000 to help the program.

Prison Greyhounds is an all-volunteer 501c3 non-profit organization founded in 2009.

Partnered with Putnamville Correctional Facility, the Prison Greyhounds Program is designed to prepare retired racing greyhounds for a forever home by providing much-needed training for life after racing, and to provide their offender handlers with an opportunity to gain job-skills, teamwork experience and explore a better way of life through the human-animal bond.

Offender handlers are non-violent inmates specifically chosen for the program.

"It would appear that the auction was a real success and I am glad we could be a part of it," PFC Superintendent Stanley Knight said. "I am very grateful to see this much money was raised for such a worthwhile program."