HUNTINGDON, HUNTINGDON COUNTY - Millions of people in the United States live with physical disabilities, making them the largest minority group in the country.  Service dogs can benefit this group of people, but service dogs are in high demand.  One group is working with state prison inmates to train service dogs.

Canine Partners for Life, a non-profit organization dedicated to training service dogs, started the Prison Puppy Program nine years ago.  The Maryland Correctional Institute for Women was the first prison to being training dogs.  Right now, four prisons in Pennsylvania participate in the program, including State Correctional Institute Smithfied in Huntingdon.

More than 1,300 prisoners live at SCI Smithfield, but there's only about 12 dog trainers.  Inmates have to have good behavior to even apply to become a dog trainer.  Since 2007, 11 dogs graduated from SCI Smithfield.

The Prison Puppy Program doesn't cost anything for taxpayers.  The food, health care and training tools are donated by volunteers.