Evidence & Impact

Programme Outcomes

Restart Dogs has operated continuously since 2019, beginning at HMYOI Werrington (a young offenders institution for 15 to 18 year olds) before expanding to HMP Dovegate (a Category B adult prison) and currently operating at HMP Fosse Way (a Category C resettlement prison in Leicester, opened in 2023 as part of the Government's new prison building programme).

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Assistance dogs placed

To date, 12 assistance dogs have been trained and placed through the Restart Dogs programme:

5 dogs fully trained and partnered with Armed Forces veterans through Bravehound, supporting veterans living with PTSD, depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions.

5 dogs currently in advanced training with Bravehound, due to be matched with veterans during 2026.

2 dogs placed directly with individuals with disabilities and complex needs.

Each trained assistance dog represents a value of over £20,000 to the charity that receives it, reflecting the cost of training an assistance dog outside a prison setting. More importantly, each dog goes on to transform the daily life of the person it is placed with.

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Rehabilitation outcomes for learners

Participation in the Restart Dogs programme has been associated with measurable changes in learner behaviour and wellbeing within custodial settings. Reported outcomes include:

• Reduction in substance misuse among programme participants. Learners consistently report that the responsibility of caring for their dog provides motivation to remain drug-free, as they understand that substance use affects their ability to train effectively and maintain the trust of their dog.

• Improved social skills, communication, and emotional regulation. The programme requires learners to work collaboratively, manage frustration, and communicate clearly, both with their dogs and with their peers. These skills are developed progressively through the CPD-accredited curriculum and daily practical work.

• Increased empathy and self-awareness. Learners develop an understanding of how their own emotional state affects the behaviour of their dog, which provides a framework for examining how their behaviour affects people around them.

• Enhanced staff-prisoner relationships through the staff foster model. Prison staff who foster the dogs develop a different relationship with the programme's learners, creating a more positive dynamic that benefits the wider establishment.

• Improved behaviour management outcomes. Learners must maintain good behaviour to remain on the programme, creating a strong incentive structure that benefits both the individual and the prison.

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Independent research

The Restart Dogs programme has been independently evaluated through a Masters-level research study conducted at Staffordshire University, supervised by Professor James Treadwell. Professor Treadwell is a leading criminologist whose work focuses on imprisonment, desistance, and the experiences of people within the criminal justice system. The research examined the programme's impact on participants and contributes to the growing UK evidence base for canine assisted interventions in custodial settings.

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Recognition and Awards

Mirror Pet Award for Inspiration 2024: Restart Dogs was recognised at the national Mirror Pet Awards, receiving the Inspiration Award in 2024 for the programme's impact on both participants and the people who receive trained assistance dogs.

AASI Full Membership: Restart Dogs holds Full Membership of Animal Assisted Intervention International (AASI), the global professional body for animal assisted intervention practitioners. This accreditation recognises adherence to international standards of practice in programme design, animal welfare, professional qualifications, and ethical delivery.

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CPD UK Accreditation: The education programme is fully accredited by CPD UK at Levels 1 through 4, delivered in partnership with the School of Canine Science. This provides learners with nationally recognised qualifications in canine behaviour and training.

Positive News feature: The programme was featured in Positive News, a national publication focused on constructive journalism, highlighting the dual impact on prisoners and the people who receive trained assistance dogs.

College of Policing: Restart Dogs is referenced in the College of Policing's Crime Reduction Toolkit entry on dog training programmes in prisons, which concluded that the evidence suggests these programmes reduce crime.

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Cost Effectiveness

A single prison place costs the taxpayer over £47,000 per year (Ministry of Justice figures). The cost of reoffending, including courts, police, victim services, and a further prison sentence, is estimated at £50,000 to £65,000 or more per individual.

The Restart Dogs programme costs £94,800 plus VAT per year, per site, on a minimum three-year contract. This covers all programme delivery, staffing, dog acquisition, veterinary care, food, equipment, and CPD-accredited education.

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If just one learner per year avoids reoffending as a result of participating in the programme, the savings to the public purse exceed the programme's entire annual cost. When the value of the trained assistance dogs (over £20,000 each), the improvement in staff-prisoner relationships, and the reduction in behavioural incidents are factored in, the programme delivers exceptional value.

The programme is not funded by the taxpayer. It is funded through prison budgets, specifically the Prisoners' Fund or through contractual arrangements with prison operators (public sector or private).

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The Evidence Base for Dog Training Programmes in Prisons

The international evidence base for prison-based dog training programmes continues to grow. Key findings from the research literature include:

Reductions in recidivism and reconviction rates among programme participants compared to non-participants (College of Policing meta-analysis).

Improvements in behavioural and mental health outcomes, including reductions in aggression, depression, isolation, and anxiety (systematic review published in Animals, 2020).

Positive effects on empathy, self-esteem, emotional intelligence, and coping skills (multiple studies reviewed by Assistance Dogs International, 2023).

Benefits extending to non-participating prisoners and prison staff through improved institutional atmosphere (Leonardi et al., 2017, University of Stirling).

Cost-effectiveness compared to traditional vocational rehabilitation programmes, with lower per-participant costs and comparable or superior outcomes (Heritage Foundation analysis of US programmes).

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Restart Dogs contributes to this evidence base through its partnership with Staffordshire University and its commitment to ongoing programme evaluation and outcome monitoring