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Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones has a moment with Fonzie, the first dog in the county to go to jail with an inmate as part of a new program for inmates to help prepare dogs for adoption.Click to enlarge

HAMILTON — Fonzie, a year-old shepherd mix with a sweet nature but a few behavior issues, is going to jail.

In a program unique in Butler County, Project Free Inmate Dog Obedience — or FIDO — will pair dogs from the Animal Friends Humane Society in Trenton with prisoners at the Butler County Jail for a stint of obedience training. Fonzie is first up.

Sheriff Richard K. Jones announced the project Friday, June 20, noting it was the second phase of a partnership with the animal shelter. In the past few months, prisoners have worked at the Trenton facility cleaning cages. Now, dogs will be living at the jail with inmates while they are trained for adoption to a loving home.

Leland Gordon, executive director of the humane society, called Fonzie a "wild child" who needs some training and tender care.

Jones said the program is believed to be the first of its kind in a county jail. Similar programs have been conducted in state prisons, including Warren Correctional Institution in Lebanon.

Prisoners chosen for the program will be screened to assure there is no history of animal abuse, officials said.

Jones said there is a positive therapeutic benefit of animal contact for those behind bars. The prisoner will get a sense of accomplishment, "teaching behavioral skills so this dog can be adopted to a nice family."

Eventually, the sheriff said they would like to include up to four dogs and maybe cats in the program.

Mel Shidler of the Hamilton and Queen City dog clubs will assist the prisoner with Fonzie's training. Shidler's fee, $50 an hour, will be paid out of the prisoner commissary fund.