MACON, Ga. — They call it the best-kept secret at the sheriff's office.
That secret? Bibb County's Bondable Pup program that helps shelter dogs find a good home.
In January of 2017, they started with two dogs they walked around the block. Since then, they've given 150 dogs a new home.
"They get to learn how to leash walk, house train, crate train, sit, shake, lay," says Deputy Brandi McClure.
Right now, they are working with 10 dogs that came from local shelters, all four months or older.
McClure says these dogs deserve a second chance.
"Some of them came from just being on the street and rummaging through somebody's trash or, you know, maybe they were dumped from one neighborhood to another and some of them were just owner-surrendered."
It's not just the dogs who benefit from the program, it's also Bibb County inmates.
"We started it to try to reduce the recidivism with the inmates, you know, coming back and forth to jail and giving them something to do."
McClure says she'll typically have two or three inmates working with the dogs.
"It teaches them a lot with their patience because we do a lot with coping skills. We also work with them about long term and short term goals."
McClure says is thrilled with the way the program has taken off.
"Oh, we are over-the-moon excited. We get attached to them and we want them to leave and we want them to go into good homes."
McClure also says by the time they get adopted, all the dogs are fully vaccinated, spayed or neutered and microchipped.