In the most incarcerated city in the most incarcerated state in the most incarcerated country in the world, a freed man just rescued his new best friend. John Floyd was a man locked up for a murder conviction that was thrown out, after 36 and a half years. Maddy, a Jack Russell Terrier, was a stray who was locked up at Vermillion Parish Animal Shelter. One of my fellow fosters and rescue friends shared this amazing story this morning. It made my day and I think it is worth sharing – one of the Take Paws Rescue dogs was adopted by a man who was just released from prison through The Innocence Project.
“Innocence Project New Orleans frees innocent prisoners, exposes injustice and prevents wrongful convictions. IPNO has won the freedom or exoneration of 29 wrongfully convicted prisoners. These men served over 610 years in Louisiana and Mississippi’s prisons between them.” John Floyd’s murder conviction was thrown out in June, with the help of The Innocence Project.
Maddy was lucky, she made it out of the kill shelter and into a foster home with Take Paws Rescue. About half of all animals entering shelters are euthanized. Approximately 98,000 pets are put to death every year in Louisiana.
Maddy’s foster wrote:
“Who better to understand the anxiety, loneliness and fear of being unfairly locked up and taken away from society than a fellow prisoner? John Floyd was an innocent man in Angola Prison for 36 years. He missed his animals more than anything during that time. Now, with nothing but love and courage in his heart, he has moved on and has adopted one of our babies, Maddy the JRT! It was one of our most unusual apps, but we did our research and feel like Maddy will be in the most loving competent care. They can heal each other and share a mutual appreciation of a second chance.”
John Floyd worked with bloodhounds and other animals at Angola. His story was covered in The Advocate.
John Floyd, freed from Angola State Penitentiary, starts over after 36 years
Part of starting over, for John, was rescuing a dog. He was looking for one similar to the dogs that he cared for during his time at Angola. Maddy, the Jack Russell Terrier that he has adopted, was a stray with an unknown past. They are starting over together. We wish them best of everything.
