Chase, 28

“He is changing so many lives in here, he has definitely changed mine, and I can’t wait until he changes somebody’s life out there as a service dog.”

Wendel is a 13-month-old black Lab Golden Retriever mix. He is a service dog in training with an organization called Canine Companions. I am one of Wendel’s San Quentin Puppy Program puppy raisers. We received Wendel when he was a four-month-old puppy and were tasked with caring for, socializing, and training him on fundamental cues. We are also paired with outside puppy raisers that give Wendel the socialization we can not provide behind these walls—things like going on car rides or to the grocery store. So far, Wendel has done excellent in the program and brought so much positivity to the incarcerated population and the staff here at San Quentin. He is changing so many lives here; he has definitely changed mine, and I can’t wait until he changes somebody’s life out there as a service dog. Wendel brings humanity to many lives, and his journey is just beginning.