R.E.A.D. - Reading Education Assistance Dogs

Excerpt from Intermountain Therapy Animals

This innovative program was developed by Intermountain Therapy Animals and is designed to enhance quality of life through the human-animal bond.

The mission of Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.®) is the logical extension of that to enhance children’s love of reading through the use of therapy animals and thus lay the foundation for a lifetime of learning and a higher quality life.

In the school setting, we ask the teacher or reading specialist to select those children who would most benefit from the program, and a particular team reads with the same child each week, so that a more trusted and secure relationship evolves.

When they read with a dog, right away children start to relax, and then they forget about feeling self-conscious or nervous, and pretty soon things start to flow a little better. Before they know it, they are enjoying the experience of reading instead of dreading it, they’re even looking forward to the next time. It is simple, and it works beautifully!

Pawsitive Pet Solutions, LLC is currently providing program at Beavertown Elementary School in Kettering, Ohio. We are recruiting additional teams in order to expand this program at Beavertown. Teams must be Delta Society certified or willing and able to be certified.

If you are interested in voluteering for this innovative and rewarding program, contact us.

If you would like information on how to start a program in your school or library, contact us.

For full information on the R.E.A.D. program, visit Intermountain Therapy Animals.