FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – Cats and kittens from the Humane Society are living with inmates at the Flagler County Jail — not because they’re in trouble, but because they’re helping with rehabilitation.
A class from the University of North Florida studying the role of animals in rehabilitation visited the jail to learn about the “SMART program” and its kitten component.
Students arrived at the jail eager to see how the program works.
Samantha Pottinger, a senior taking the class, said it was her first time inside a correctional facility.
“Reading the articles or reading the textbook is so much different than being here and physically experiencing it,” Pottinger said.
The kitten program began in July. While no small kittens were at the jail during the visit, a few adult cats live in the inmate housing block.
One of them, Ashland, has been in jail for six months. She declined to show her face on camera but shared how the program has helped her.
Ashland said drug addiction led to her incarceration. She has been part of the SMART program for the last two months.
“To go from the hostility of being in jail and the craziness of that to going to an amazing program that’s structured around love and compassion — because obviously you have to have that with the kittens — it’s been life-changing,” she said.
Pottinger said she was surprised to learn the cats live with the inmates.
“I wasn’t aware that the cats lived with the inmates, so that was very cool, you know, seeing how they kind of share that space with the animals,” she said.
Dr. Jennifer Wesely, a criminology professor at UNF who teaches the class, said programs like this help inmates develop empathy.
“I love that my students got to actually speak with the women here in the correctional facility. I love that they got to engage with them and see the cats,” Wesely said.
Ashland’s release date was originally set for a few weeks ago, but it is now open-ended as she continues to grow through the program — along with the kittens.
“They go from kittens who don’t really have a clue to these little itty-bitty cats with their own personalities and spunk. You get to watch that, and it’s kind of cool because it aligns with what’s going on with you as well. You’re growing into yourself,” Ashland said.
The program benefits both inmates and cats, helping prepare the animals for adoption.