Okemos resident Hailey Pike, 6, reads to Buster, 13, Wednesday morning at the East Lansing Public Library, 950 Abbot Road, where children were reading to therapy dogs. Buster napped during the majority of the readings.
Therapy dogs were the stars of the East Lansing Public Library, 950 Abbot Road, on Wednesday morning as children were lined up out the door for their chance to read to the dogs.
Lezlee Worthington, the reference assistant for ELPL, said this is the second summer they have had children read to therapy dogs, which are often used to bring happiness and support to people of varying ages and situations.
“It’s fantastic. We always get a big turnout,” she said.
There were up to 35 children who participated in the event. There will be another session in August for those who missed it this time, Worthington said.
“We are using (the dogs) as a non-judgmental thing to read to,” she said. “Some kids may not read to a person, but they will read to the dog.”
In the large meeting room of the ELPL, four dogs were positioned on pillows with their owners and their personal storytellers.
“The children are very respectful as they read to the dogs, and the dogs sit like kings and queens,” Worthington said.
The dogs included a yellow Labrador retriever, a shih-tzu, a German shepherd and a black Labrador retriever.
“They are certified therapy dogs that go into hospitals and schools,” Worthington said. “They are not helper dogs.”
Unlike service dogs, which are allowed in any public place, by law, therapy dogs must be invited to come and sit with people.
“It really loosens people up who are withdrawn,” Worthington said.
Libraries all over the nation participate in reading to therapy dogs, she said.
“All the owners do this because they love it,” she said. “They don’t get paid, it’s all volunteer.”
One of the volunteers was Mary Mulder of Mason, who was at the library with her yellow Labrador retriever, Lilly.
Mulder said she and 5-year-old Lilly volunteer a couple of times per week, visiting the young and old, for organizations like Hope Network and hospice.
“It’s all about support and bringing smiles,” Mulder said.
“Especially at the nursing homes where they don’t get that many visitors, they love seeing her each week,” she added. “A lot of them think she’s personally coming to see them.”
Children, ages 5 and older, were lined out the door with books they had chosen in hand, waiting excitedly to read to one of the dogs on Wednesday.
“I was here last year and I would choose a dog and read to it,” said Zoie Smith, a second grader at Pinecrest Elementary School.
“I loved it because (the dog) was nice and listened well.”
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Smith’s mom, Debra Fredericks, who is a literacy teacher in Lansing, said she was thrilled to be a part of the event.
“I think it’s wonderful,” she said. “I am so happy that so many kids showed up to take advantage of the free literacy program the library is offering.”
