Books – Helping Kids and Dogs Alike!
An article was recently brought to our attention about a Missouri animal shelter and how they are using children and books to help calm dogs.
It is truly an amazing concept!
The Humane Society of Missouri runs the Book Buddies Reading Program, where trained volunteers between the ages of 5 and 16 read to the shelter dogs being housed. The idea is that by having someone calmly read to the dogs, the more frightened ones will gain confidence and become comfortable with visitors. The more comfortable and social dogs are with people, the more likely they will be adopted and find their forever home.
Shelter animals are often frightened and stressed in shelter environments, as it can be very loud and there is a lot going on. In a month long training session, the children that volunteer through the Book Buddies Reading Program are taught to empathize with the dogs, how to read a dog’s body language, and recognize stress signals.
Once they complete training, the young volunteers are able to read to the shelter’s dogs. They use quiet “library like” voices, sit sideways so as not to be perceived as a threat, and reward the dogs with kibble when they show interest and positively respond.
Many of the shelter dogs have undergone a huge transformation. Having once hid in the back of their cages with their tails tucked, these dogs are now becoming engaged and interested in what the children are doing.
The Human Society of Missouri currently has a library of 100 donated books.
It would be amazing to see more shelters implement a program like this. Not only do the dogs benefit greatly, but also I am sure the children participating become more confident in their reading ability.
Click on over to the article from TODAY detailing more about the program and its participants!
(photos taken from today.com)