Red carpet treatment

Baraga

January 9, 2014

RUM Steve meets Deb and Tammy and I in the parking lot of the Baraga Correctional Facility. "There are some people here eager to meet Bear and Axel," he says. I hand over FLD Bear. "If you set him down he'll park," I say. Like a good little Future Leader Dog, Bear parks immediately. Winter potty training is great - with snow everywhere the pups do not discriminate where they park.

Steve holds FLD Bear while Deb parks FLD Axel. We're here!

FLD Axel, at the end of Deb's leash, parks too. I miss this photo: Axel looks up at Steve and sits up in the cutest "beg " position, his big front paws curled against his chest. "Pick me up too!" he seems to say. "My paws are cold!" These little guys can't regulate their body temperatures very well against the sub-zero cold.

When we enter a small man door to the visitor entrance, I feel like a celebrity walking the red carpet into the Oscars. More than 20 people are lined up and clapping. Flashes from the camera of a L'anse Sentinel reporter capture our arrival. It doesn't take long to realize that these people aren't excited to see us; it is all about the puppies. FLDs Axel and Bear are passed around the room long enough that they have to go out and park again.

Happy Baraga staff pose with FLDs Axel and Bear.

FLD Axel might be done with all the attention.

Eventually the commotion and people disperse and we can attend to the business of clearing us for entry into the unit. Yes, I can bring my camera in. Yes, we can bring in the paperwork and supplies for the puppies. Yes, we can bring in FLDs Harper and Jedi. No, we cannot bring anything else in.

A guard leads a new prisoner in for processing into the facility. The man's ankles and wrists are shackled with chains wrapped around his waist. As he shuffles by he glances over at the puppies. Warden Mackie points him out to us and says, "Look at that. They usually come in here with hard faces."

Photo bomb! FLD Bear sticks his head into the picture, much to everyone's amusement. (Deb Donnelly is on the left side, standing next to Warden Mackie.)