Paws for Love

is truly a love story that captures meaningful expressions about life, in connections with photographs that Sr. Pauline Quinn, captured around the United States and in other countries.  She started the first prison dog program in the United States where inmates raise dogs to help the disabled.  A TV movie was made about the prison dog programs staring Ellen Burstyn and Laura Dern, called Within These Walls.  Burstyn was thrilled when she heard that the prison dog programs not only saved dogs, but also helped prisoners and the disabled.  "prisoners themselves often experience unconditional love for the first time in their lives and it transforms them," said Burstyn. "They develop the skills so that when they get out of prison, they become dog groomers and trainers. And it just seemed to me like the most amazing win-win-win situation," Paws For Love brings a delightful sense of togetherness with all kinds of dogs and their relationships with us humans.

A woman behind bars learns to reach out to someone with whom she has almost nothing in common as she begins to help others in this made-for-TV drama, inspired by a true story.  Joan Thomas (Ellen Burstyn) is a woman whose life has been a long trip down a rough road; Thomas has a problem with drugs, and after being arrested for possession, she's sentenced to prison with a number of hardened criminals.  Sister Pauline Quinn (Laura Dern) is a nun working with prison inmates who senses Thomas is at heart a good person whose life can still be turned around'while Thomas proves to be a tough nut to crack, in time Quinn  is able to interest Thomas in a special program in which inmates help train dogs which will be used to help the handicapped.  As Thomas works with Quinn and helps teach her dog the needed skills, she learns the positive aspects of connecting with others for the first time.  Within These Walls was originally produced as part of the award-winning television anthology series the Hallmark Hall Of Fame; it first aired on August 20, 2001
 
 

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