Boys Town Nebraska

Once Abandoned Dog Teaches Grand Island Youth Valuable Lessons The children at Boys Town Grand Island are not only learning valuable lessons from their teachers, but from a canine as well. Cartwright, a once abandoned Chocolate Labrador, visits the Grand Island children with his owner, Penny Pratt, every Wednesday to teach the youth animal safety and the proper ways to approach dogs. Many of the children Cartwright interacts with also come from neglectful or abusive backgrounds.  “So many animals like Cartwright have been neglected and abused, but their stories all have happy endings,” said Pratt. “It’s great for the children to hear these stories.”

Penny Pratt and Cartwright

Affiliated with Paws-Up Inc., a non-profit organization based in Derby, Kan., Cartwright is a special service dog that helps train other dogs to assist people with everyday tasks. But, his job today is far from where he came.

Cartwright’s story begins at an animal shelter in Goodland, Kan.  When Pratt first met Cartwright in the shelter, he hadn’t been touched by a person in over three months.

“He was just going crazy so all the people at the shelter were afraid of him,” says Pratt. 

After months of love, attention and training from Pratt, Cartwright is now a talented, friendly dog, teaching other animals how to become service dogs.

“It is important for people to hear Cartwright’s story because the responsibility we have to these animals is an important message to get across,” says Pratt.

Not only does Cartwright’s story teach the children at Boys Town Grand Island about proper animal treatment, but they relate to the animals’ stories.

When Pratt and Cartwright visit the  children, they play a game called “click and treat.” The game teaches youth important lessons about respecting authority and listening to instructions. Separated into teams, one participant gives instructions while the other listens carefully. The team responding to the most instructions correctly in one minute and clicks the button wins the game.

“The game requires listening and following instructions,” said Pratt. “It teaches that when you do something nice, you get something back.”

“The dogs have a real calming feel for our kids,” said Colleen Friesen, a teacher at Boys Town Grand Island. “It’s just been a wonderful experience for us.”

Pratt said she brings Cartwright to help open a dialogue with the kids. A dialogue that shows severely at-risk youth what can happen when given help, healing and hope.