Lexi is a 6 year old spayed female German Shepherd Mix

She is currently enrolled in our Path to Home Program.

Volunteers For Animals and Orleans Correctional Facility have developed a Dog Training & Fostering Program within the prison that will provide socialization and basic obedience training for the dogs before being adopted. 

Volunteers For Animals will be pulling dogs from high kill shelters and locally who may be in need of behavioral support to become more adoptable. The dogs will then be transported to Orleans Correctional Facility where they will live with selected inmates who will care for them 24 hours per day for approximately 12 weeks. Each dog will have a crate, bedding, leash, collar, training treats, and food provided by Volunteers For Animals. 

A certified dog trainer will provide 1.5-hour formal weekly training class for the dogs, with extra sessions if needed, and the inmates will work daily to reinforce the formal training.  At the end of the training period the dogs will have an opportunity to take the test for "Canine Good Citizen."  The dogs will go to Orleans Correctional Facility for fostering and basic obedience training. Currently, our foster program for dogs can only handle approximately 4-6 dogs which is done in private homes. There is no formal dog obedience training easily available in these private homes. This program will help us to expand the number of dogs we foster and care for within VFA, and help at-risk dogs become more adoptable.  

All of our dogs in The Path to Home Program will be crate trained, have basic obedience skills, and good house manners. Volunteers For Animals applied for and received a grant from Maddies Fund in order to start this unique program. The grant has assisted in purchasing supplies, food and medical care for the dogs. 

Adoption Procedures
The adoption process includes an application that is completed by the potential owner. If there are multiple applications on the same animal, the animal will go to the best home for that particular animal - not necessarily the first application. Fees for the Path Home animals are $200 per animal which needs to be cash or a check - NO CREDIT CARDS. All of the dogs are current on vaccines, heart worm tested and spayed/neutered. If you would like to be considered for any of the dogs, please come to the shelter and complete an application. If your application is approved, we strongly recommend setting up an appointment to meet and visit the dog at the Orleans Correctional Facility in Albion, NY. 

Our adoption application is not available online. Please do not call the Shelter regarding Path to Home animals - they do not have any information. Email us at info@vol4animals.org regarding this program.