The Humane Society of Madison County and the Madison County Correctional Institution (MaCI) signed a joint cooperative agreement in 1997. This agreement led to the creation of the Fresh Start Canine Training program. This program provides the opportunity for the two organizations to work jointly toward providing homeless dogs and inmates (known as handlers) with a fresh start on life.

To go above and beyond the necessary steps that must be taken to have the dogs medically treated and prepared for adoption, the HSMC and the Madison County Correctional Institution (MaCI) signed a joint cooperative agreement in 1997. This agreement led to the creation of the Fresh Start Canine Training program. This program provides the opportunity for the two organizations to work jointly toward providing homeless dogs and inmates (known as handlers) with a fresh start on life.

The HSMC board of trustees, staff, veterinarians, and volunteers, combined with the employees and handlers of the MaCI are proud of the Fresh Start Canine Training program. For the last 20 years, there have been multitudes of success stories of handlers taking scared, untrained dogs and turning them into confident, trained dogs ready for adoption. Though incarcerated, these handlers provide a service to their community while learning a marketable life skill through the program. After they are released from the MaCI, this life skill will help them secure employment and ease the transition as they reintegrate with society