San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office’s T.A.I.L.S. Program

Gregory “Greg” Munks served as the sheriff of San Mateo County, California, for more than 9 years. He solved overcrowding in the San Mateo County jails and implemented inmate programs to reduce recidivism. One of these programs is the Transitioning Animals Into Loving Situations (T.A.I.L.S.) program. Greg Munks was awarded the President’s Award by the Peninsula Humane Society (PHS) & SPCA in 2016.

In 2009, the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office partnered with PHS & SPCA for the T.A.I.L.S. program, where shelter dogs with questionable adoption potential are partnered with a participating inmate. These shelter dogs have demonstrated traits that shunned adopters away. If these traits are not addressed, these dogs may end up with behavior problems down the road.

Under the T.A.I.L.S. program, a participating inmate provides the dog assigned to him or her with round-the-clock attention and care. PHS provides training inmates so that they can groom, exercise, and socialize with the dog.

The T.A.I.L.S. program mutually benefits the inmates and the dogs. It helps inmates take responsibility, making them ready for life outside the prison. The dogs, on the other hand, have increased potential for adoption after the program.