Kittens are the New Inmates at the ‘Green Roof Inn’ in Flagler County

By-Line: Courtney Sebastianelli, PIO, FCSO

Earlier this month, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office introduced a new homeless kitten foster program to inmates at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility. In collaboration with the Flagler Humane Society, FCSO’s nationally recognized SMART (Successful Mental Health and Addiction Recovery Treatment) Program launched the kitten-fostering initiative to allow participating inmates to care for homeless kittens in need, providing a unique therapeutic experience aimed at long-term recovery for both the kitten and the inmates.

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The initiative is part of the FCSO’s ongoing efforts to support mental health and promote a deeper sense of accountability and emotional connection among inmates. The program builds on the SMART model’s proven success in reducing rearrest rates and enhancing the lives of those battling substance use so they can become successful residents.

Two women in prison uniforms sit on a bunk bed, each holding a baby wrapped in a blanket, smiling and interacting with each other in a dormitory style room

A person with dreadlocks wearing a tan uniform gently cradles a small orange kitten wrapped in a red blanket with white hearts, inside a brightly lit room

Female Inmates spend time and care for kittens at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility.

“Addiction often creates isolation and self-centered patterns,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “Fostering kittens requires empathy, structure, and consistency—qualities that support recovery and rehabilitation. It’s another tool we’re using to break the cycle of addiction and help inmates build healthier productive lives while also supporting the Flagler Humane Society while giving a kitten a home until they find a ‘furever’ home after being released from the Green Roof Inn.”

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The idea for the program came from an inmate who shared a suggestion during a talk with medical staff. The concept led to the partnership with the Flagler Humane Society, which is now providing kittens that need attentive care for the program.

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Participants in the program take part in daily kitten care routines, including feeding, socializing, and bottle-feeding. These tasks provide not only a sense of purpose and responsibility for inmates but also a daily routine and emotional support, which are key components in effective addiction treatment.

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This innovative approach to rehabilitation is expected to be implemented more broadly with other inmates at the jail in the coming weeks. The male inmates are scheduled to begin assisting the Humane Society with building projects for the animals in need of adoption at the Palm Coast location.

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If you would like to adopt a kitten, you can contact the Flagler Humane Society.

A woman in an orange uniform smiles while holding a gray kitten Two people in uniforms, one apparently a law enforcement officer, stand nearby in a brightly lit indoor setting

A woman in an orange prison uniform sits on a chair in a jail dormitory, gently holding and petting two small kittens on her lap Bunk beds and another person are visible in the background

Female inmates hold kittens at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility.

 

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