Prisoners and Pups

In the Adelaide Women's Prison a small group of prisoners have signed up to take part in a trial program to foster ex-racing greyhounds and get them ready for adoption. The greyhounds have been born and raised in kennels, never knowing the sights and sounds of life beyond the racetrack. Trained only to chase a lure at high speed, most don't know their names or how to take food from someone's hand.

The prisoners have just eight weeks to socialise and transform these institutionalised dogs into obedient, house-friendly pets. None of them have ever trained a dog before.

Can the prisoners and the dogs work together to give each other a second chance?

Prisoners and Pups is a one hour documentary directed, written and filmed by Australian independent filmmaker Shalom Almond of Cocoon Films. Her previous character-driven documentaries have focused on the idea of personal identity and change, especially the idea that the possibility of personal transformation is a complex process in a rapidly changing world.

Curriculum Links

Prisoners and Pups is relevant to students from Grades 5/6 to Years 10/11.

The curriculum links include :

• English
• Media Studies
• Legal Studies
• Psychology
• Studies of Society and Environment

Prisoners and Pups throws up a wide range of very important social, cultural, ethical and political issues that are of both interest and relevance to all Australians. Many of these cross curricula issues are included in both State and National curriculum.

ATOM has also produced a study guide for Prisoners and Pups. This study guide is available for download here.