Patriot Paws celebrates 10-year anniversary with eight canine graduations

The Patriot Paws program at Crain Unit in Gatesville held a graduation Friday for eight pups ready to help veterans. The Patriot Paws program at Crain Unit in Gatesville held a graduation Friday for eight pups ready to help veterans. Photo: TDCJ Photo: TDCJ Image 1 of / 33 Caption Close Patriot Paws celebrates 10-year anniversary with eight canine graduations 1 / 33 Back to Gallery

After a decade of fluff and fur, Patriot Paws held its 10th anniversary celebration and program graduation Friday inside a Gatesville women's prison.

The Rockwall-based program uses Texas Department of Criminal Justice inmates in three prisons to help train service dogs for veterans struggling with everything from mobility issues to PTSD to head trauma.

READ MORE: Inmates train service dogs for vets, learn new skills themselves

On Friday, inmates, disabled veterans and Patriot Paws volunteers got together at the Crain Unit to celebrate eight canine graduations.

After more than 18 months of training - much of it inside Texas prisons - the dogs were finally ready to go home with their new owners.

Click through the photo gallery above or read more about the program here.