10/07/2026
A couple of months ago, ICAN hosted Team Training at IDOC Pendleton Correctional Facility. This transformative week gives incarcerated handlers the opportunity to meet the clients whose dogs they have been training for months and work with them in person, helping prepare both the client and dog for a successful transition into partnership. 💙
The week concludes with one of ICAN's most meaningful traditions: the Vest Ceremony. During this special moment, the handler removes the dog's green "in-training" vest and ceremonially places the blue "in-service" vest on the dog, signifying that they are officially beginning their role as a service or facility dog. 🐕🦺
It is a beautiful and emotional experience, bringing together people from all walks of life for a shared purpose: changing lives through the power of expertly trained service dogs. It also serves as a powerful reminder that ICAN's impact extends far beyond the final placement. Through programs like these, ICAN creates life-changing opportunities on both ends of the leash, empowering clients to live with greater independence while providing incarcerated handlers with purpose, skill-building, and the chance to make a lasting difference in someone else's life. 💚
Learn more: icandog.org/prison-program.
