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 Troubled dogs and troubled teens try to give each other new lifeBy Keith Oppenheim  Jessica works with Buckwheat, as part of "Project Second Chance." YOUR E-MAIL ALERTSALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (CNN) -- Full disclosure: Last summer, a true love of my life, a 13-year-old black lab named Darin, passed away. I was bereft. Nine months later, my wife decided the period of mourning had come to a proper end. The two of us went to the pound and adopted a lab boxer named Zoe who was likely to be put asleep if she didn't find a home. So when CNN told me about "Project Second Chance," a program in New Mexico that pairs teenagers in detention with dogs from local shelters in need of adoption, I understood the topic wasn't nearly as warm and fuzzy as it seemed. It was, in different ways, all about life and death. If the dogs aren't adopted quickly, they can be destroyed. The teens have committed everything from minor theft to murder. Tamara Ward, a social service coordinator at the Youth Diagnostic and Development Center in Albuquerque thought of a way to help. Ward thought if the dogs can be trained by the teens, the odds for adoption of the animals would go up. She also was aware of research which indicates juveniles in detention often lack empathy. Taking care of a dog, she believed, could get these teens to be more caring and responsible. "If we can get them where they connect with a being," said Ward, "our hope is that everything -- all the crime and the behaviors that go with it -- will see a reduction." We profiled 17-year-old Jessica and 16-year-old Felicia -- each chosen to get a dog for three weeks. After that, they can't keep the animals. They have to say goodbye and hope that the training they provide will help the dogs find a home. Jessica, tall with curly blond hair, was filled with a positive energy, perhaps her way of turning from the life she had before. She'd been locked up for more than six months, previously in trouble for using methamphetamine, running away from home, and stealing. Felicia, dark-haired and quieter, was more apprehensive. In detention for nearly a year, she had a history of violence -- including assaulting staff while in treatment. The two teens would be matched with two dogs, who like them, faced an uncertain future. Jessica would get Buckwheat, a beautiful 4-year-old black lab. Felicia would get Rudi, an 8-year-old pudgy pit bull mix. It appeared Rudi might have been abused. He had scars on his face. But, from all I could tell, he was gentle. Felicia took to him right away. "I like him! He's a fatty," she said. Tamara Ward started the training by reassuring the girls. "They don't care if you've been in trouble. All they want is for someone to love them -- and show them the right things to do," she said. There was a lot of initial excitement, but it was clear that the young ladies needed as much training as the dogs. Ward showed them everything -- how to walk the dogs -- how to give them a bath -- how to conduct a basic physical exam. Felicia was completely grossed out by picking up poop. "Eewww!" she said, as she held the plastic bag like it would kill her. She was told that it's all part of taking care of an animal. For us, this would be the first of two visits. The plan was to return in three weeks, and find out how the teens and dogs did. Keep in mind, this program had been around since 1999. One hundred and seventy-five canines had gone through training, and nearly all had been placed in homes. We figured, what could go wrong? But -- as promised -- this story would turn out to be about fragile lives. When we came back to Albuquerque three weeks later, we learned Felicia's temper had once again gotten the best of her. The 16-year-old continued to have discipline problems, so she was sent back to her hometown and is now under house arrest. Another teen named Angela, a 17-year-old runaway, stepped in as Rudi's trainer. The day of the dogs' graduation was filled with joy and tears. Jessica and Angela had done their jobs -- teaching both Rudi and Buckwheat the basics. Both well-trained dogs were ready to be adopted. As the dogs were put back in their cages and hoisted into a van, tears swelled in Angela's eyes. Jessica gave Buckwheat a last goodbye. Both girls watched as the van drove off, not knowing what would be in store for them or the dogs. Jessica has since been released on parole and Angela still awaits parole. Buckwheat and Rudi have both been adopted into new homes. 
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