Ghislaine Maxwell barred from service dog training at Texas prison, convicted of sex trafficking and serving a 20-year sentence, was moved last week to a minimum-security prison camp in Texas and will not be allowed to participate in its service dog training program.

Canine Companions, the nonprofit that operates a prison puppy-raising program at the camp, said the organization’s policy excludes anyone whose crime involves abuse of minors or animals. This strict eligibility requirement is significant; typically, inmates must have a clean disciplinary record and be classified as low security or on ‘honor’ status to be considered for such programs. That restriction directly affects Maxwell’s eligibility despite her transfer to the lower-security facility, which is noted for dormitory-style housing and limited fencing and for housing high-profile inmates.

The program places puppies raised by incarcerated handlers into homes to support people living with disabilities, a model Canine Companions runs within some correctional settings. Service dog training programs are linked to improved inmate rehabilitation, offering benefits like enhanced mental health, reduced anxiety, and increased empathy. Canine Companions’ chief executive made the organization’s policy clear when addressing Maxwell’s situation.

“We do not allow anyone whose crime involves abuse towards minors or animals—including any crime of a sexual nature. That’s a hard policy we have, so she will not be able to,” said Paige Mazzoni, CEO of Canine Companions.

The transfer last week moved Maxwell from a previous prison assignment to the Texas camp; officials with the organization delivering the prison puppy-raising program confirmed the exclusion on the basis of their written policy. The program at the camp places puppies with incarcerated handlers who live with and train the animals before the dogs are placed in homes to assist people with disabilities, reflecting the organization’s central mission.

Canine Companions operates prison-based puppy-raising programs in partnership with correctional facilities, and the organization’s public statement on Maxwell reiterated that the ban is non-negotiable for crimes that involve abuse of vulnerable people or animals. Service dog training and prison-based puppy-raising programs operate in numerous facilities across the United States. The group’s stance means Maxwell will not take part in the same inmate-handled puppy program available at that camp.

Prison officials oversee placements and interactions for those enrolled in the program; at this particular facility, the setting is described as minimum security with dormitory-style housing and limited fencing, features often associated with camps designed for lower-risk inmates. The rigorous criteria for participating in these programs are instrumental in maintaining a positive environment conducive to learning and growth for both inmates and puppies.

For inmates accepted into prison puppy-raising initiatives, the role typically involves daily care and training of young dogs destined to become service animals. Canine Companions confirmed that puppies raised in these programs are later placed in homes to support people living with disabilities, as a practice that underscores the transformative impact of such initiatives not only on the animals but on the inmates as well.

Maxwell’s move to the Texas camp and the organization’s response have drawn attention to the program’s eligibility rules and to the question of which inmates may serve as handlers.

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