On The Up: Men at Whanganui Prison transform old mattresses into dog beds for SPCA

Prison mattresses destined for the landfill have been transformed by men at Whanganui Prison into 100 dog beds for SPCA Whanganui.

The work is part of prison courses designed to provide prisoners with skills and qualifications to help them find future employment and deter reoffending.

Whanganui Prison industries manager Julie Gowan said she was passionate about finding sustainable uses for materials that might otherwise be wasted at the prison.

“A laundry instructor saw those mattresses heading towards the skip and thought they might still be good for something.”

Instructor Greg Proctor helped teach men to remove the outer layers of the mattresses using a fibreglass saw and to cut out the fresh, durable fabric.

“It’s been great for the men to learn these skills to complete a project from start to finish,” he said.

“Each new cover was sewn by a prisoner who skilfully inserts zips, ensuring the beds are not only comfortable but also practical.”

There are more than 30 dogs awaiting adoption at the SPCA Whanganui centre, with the surplus beds going to neighbouring centres and the Animal Rescue Action Network (Aran).

SPCA Whanganui centre manager Francie Flis-Pryce said the workmanship was exceptional and the dog beds were helping to keep canines “comfortable and warm”.

“We are really excited about this relationship with the Whanganui prison and their contributions to the animals at the SPCA.”

Whanganui Prison instructor Greg Proctor and SPCA staff member Catherine Wilson with the new dog mattresses ready to be used by animals at the shelter.

The men had also built two dog kennels through a building, construction and allied trade skills course at the prison.

Each kennel was made from repurposed pallets, painted by hand, and had an expected lifespan of more than five years.

Flis-Pryce said SPCA inspectors had been able to issue the kennels to families struggling to find adequate shelter for their dogs.

Gowan said the skills prisoners gained through work experience at Whanganui Prison were vital to helping improve outcomes for them on the outside as finding employment was a great barrier to reoffending for released prisoners.

At Whanganui Prison, men had opportunities for work experience in the kitchen, laundry, large plant nursery, joinery workshop or products yard.

“We deliver as close as we can to real-life experiences of working ... so that when they’re released, the guys have got a greater opportunity to gain employment.

“It’s hard to make better choices [in terms of reoffending] if you’re hungry and struggling to make an income.”

One prisoner said sewing was “a great skill to have” and allowed him to “get creative” and also meant he did not have to throw out clothes that could be repaired.

“It feels good knowing we’re doing something that helps the community; pets make families happy, and it’s nice knowing they’re resting on comfy beds,” another prisoner said.

The men involved also helped repair garments for prisoners, which saved money and was environmentally friendly, Gowan said.

“From a Corrections perspective, these guys will also help to repair clothing, so rather than throwing out and wasting clothes or bedding because of a little tear, they’ll fix them.”

Gowan said they hoped to continue making dog beds for the community as they had essentially an endless supply of mattresses.

The men can create three dog beds from a single prison mattress.

“We’ve got over 500 beds out here, and those mattresses get replaced on the regular; we’ve also got another site who have offered their mattresses to us,” she said.

“We’re going to end up flooding the market with pet beds, though, so we might have to come up with something else.”

She said the men she had spoken to were happy to have done something good for the community.

“They are really proud and stoked,” she said.

Eva de Jong is a reporter for the Whanganui Chronicle covering health stories and general news. She began as a reporter in 2023.