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Canfield library hosts tales to tails event
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Neighbors | Emily Gianetti.Reygan Long poses for a photo with her reading buddy.
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Dog Kaya, volunteer Linda Habuda and Abbey Perry read about horses during the Tales to Tails program.
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Nancy Wloch and Shadow have been part of the Tales to Tails program for years.
By EMILY GIANETTI
Kids that have trouble reading are often criticized or teased by classmates. However, a nonprofit organization has found a way for these young students to practice their skills without the fear of judgment.
K-9’s for Compassion visited the Canfield library on Sept. 19, bringing three dogs to sit beside the kids and listen as they read them stories.
Each child sat in a corner with one of the dogs and a book they could practice reading.
The kids were calm around the animals, even though they were doing the very thing that made them nervous: reading out loud. To the kids, the dogs were a friendly audience that wouldn’t laugh if they mispronounced a word.
“She really opens up a lot more around the dogs than she would reading by herself,” said Kelly Long, whose daughter, Reygan, received help from the program.
K-9’s for Compassion is a part of the Delta Society, a national organization of therapy animals. Both animals and the volunteers who handle them receive special training — classes and tests before being allowed to participate in the program.
“I think it encourages reading for the children. They love grabbing their favorite book and having a dog to read to,” said librarian Jan Luoma.
For some of these Delta Society workers, the best part is “just the enjoyment they [the kids] get out of it,” said volunteer Charlene Gilson.
For the kids, their favorite part is usually petting the dogs.
K-9’s for Compassion can be contacted via email at info@k9sforcompassion.org.