“It’s not just about us”: training service dogs brings purpose to Salem prison

Tonic knew something was wrong well before his human collapsed to the floor.

The 12-month-old Labrador retriever began tugging a newspaper away from his handler, Luis Salas-Juarez, sensing the contents were distressing him. 

As Salas-Juarez became more agitated, Tonic put his paws in the man’s lap, attempting to help him calm down, then went to fetch Salas-Juarez’s medication in another room as his handler began showing signs of a panic attack.

Tonic is one of…