In 2025, 4 Paws for Ability expanded its innovative prison training program—bringing the life-changing work of service dog training into the Northpoint Training Center correctional facility. Incarcerated individuals are now partnering with our dogs-in-training, building skills, structure, and compassion while preparing each pup for a future of service.
Aaron Holbrook first encountered 4 Paws through the prison program he oversaw as a unit administrator. He watched inmates soften and grow as they dedicated themselves to raising service dogs, calling it “just amazing” to see how the dogs transformed lives on both sides of the fence.
Years later, Aaron’s own son, Thomas, was matched with Taylor, a seizure-alert dog who gives him safety and independence. Behind Taylor’s training is an entire community of volunteer trainers, inmates, fosters, and donors, all pouring love and care into her journey. “There’s a whole lot that goes into this process, and a lot of these people are volunteers. They didn’t have to do this. They did it because they wanted to,” Aaron says.