GLENN CLOSE - CLOSE PUTS HER FAITH IN PRISON PUPPY PROGRAMME

CLOSE PUTS HER FAITH IN PRISON PUPPY PROGRAMME

GLENN CLOSE has thrown her full support behind a project which links service dogs to violent criminals.
The actress has become a spokesperson for the Puppies Behind Bars initiative, which teaches felons to train man's best friends to become service dogs for wounded soldiers.
Close even visited a prison in upstate New York to shoot a short film showing the project at work. The piece aired on Oprah Winfrey's talk show on Friday (15May09).
And the Fatal Attraction star insists the initiative is "transforming" criminal offenders.
She says, "We know the bond that can be created between humans and animals... but the bond that's created among inmates who never knew love, never knew responsibility - (they have) only been told that they're worthless (is amazing)."
During her visit to Fishkill Correctional Facility, Close sat down with one inmate who was convicted of second-degree murder 15 years ago - when he was 17.
He told her, "Being able to be involved in the puppy programme has taught me how to be a responsible person... patience."
The inmate was reunited with Frankie, the yellow Labrador he trained to aid Iraq War veteran Sgt. Alan Hill who suffers from traumatic brain injury and severe post-traumatic stress.