And finally… purr-fect

A pet rescue charity in Washington state has joined forces with a local prison to put stray cats behind bars where prisoners will look after them.

Prisoners at Mission Creek Women’s Correction Center in Belfair will look after abandoned cats and kittens until they are ready to return to shelters for adoption.

In a statement on its website the charity said: “Program participants are screened by their Unit Supervisor and then go through an intense training with KHS staff that covers everything from kitten development, to cat behavior, and from handling and socialization, to proper cleaning and disinfection.

“Feline participants are chosen by KHS staff, and will include orphaned litters of kittens, mother cats with nursing kittens, and adult cats in need of socialization or recovery from injury.”

Speaking to news station KREM 2, inmate Cydney Berthel, who is serving time for theft, said: “It’s a win-win for everybody involved. We’re rehabilitating the lives of these little kittens and rehabilitating our lives too.”

The charity added: “Each cat or set of kittens will be assigned to a dorm room with up to four offender foster parents caring for them. KHS is hoping to have as many as six dorm rooms hosting foster pets.

“The kitties will get tons of attention and TLC every day from their foster parents, which will prepare them for life in a future forever home.”

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