Marley’s Mutts founder Zach Skow stopped by “The Richard Beene Show” for the first time on Feb. 16 to share his story, and the mission of the dog-rescue organization.

Joining Skow were rescued dogs Hooch, who has become Marley’s Mutts biggest star, and a new addition, Benedict, but Skow shared the story about how the organization came into being and how it’s trying to save as many dogs from high-kill shelters as possible.

“I didn’t plan on rescuing dogs,” Skow admitted to host Richard Beene. “ I didn’t plan on it.”

He also didn’t plan to have a liver transplant at the age of 28, but that turned into being more than a life-saving event in his life.

“Slowly but surely I would look at my dogs every single morning, regardless of what I was going through, and look at me like I was the world’s greatest human being,” Skow said.   “Finally one day it clicked and getting out into the world and bringing my dogs with me.”

Marley’s Mutts latest initiative is to work with inmates around Central California.

“Well, it’s called PAWSitive Change and we’ve been doing it for a year now,’’ Skow said. “We’re out at California City, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation,  and we launched last year with six dogs. We currently have 10 dogs working with close to 40 inmates living within the prison at California City, and these are mostly violent offenders.

“What we do is bring in 10 dogs that need help, that need training. These are dogs from high-kill shelters.”

Skow said the inmates provide training to the dogs, and have become experts in working with abused and troubled dogs.

“We’ve promoted six (inmates) to mentor positions,” Show said. “These guys know their stuff.”

Here’s the full interview: