Reading Program Helps Kids and Shelter Pets – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

School children come to the animal shelter in Irving and read to dogs and cats

By
Brian Curtis

Published Jul 30, 2019 at 1:59 PM | Updated at 5:48 PM CDT on Jul 30, 2019

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A unique reading program at the DFW Humane Society is helping both young people and shelter pets. (Published Tuesday, July 30, 2019)

A unique reading program at the DFW Humane Society is helping both young people and shelter pets.

Once a week, school children go to the animal shelter in Irving and read to the four-legged residents. 

The interaction with humans helps calm and socialize the animals, which are in need of adoption.

“They’ll actually sit and lay down and listen to the child read. It’s such a rewarding experience,” said Lisa Barlag, who coordinates the Tales for Tails program.

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Reading aloud to the animals also helps students like 17-year-old Maria Miseda. English is her second language.

“It helps me reading when I go back to school. I’ve been much better in reading,” she said.

Miseda says she doesn’t worry about making mistakes when reading to the dogs and cats.

“Animals don’t judge you like humans do,” she said.

Parents say they often notice a change of heart in their children who participate in the program.

“I think when they come here, the position that the animals are in, you know, it softens their heart a little more towards humanity,” said Stacie Jeffries.

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Her daughter, Brooklynn, agrees and has a message for other teenagers.

“You may be too cool to read to dogs, but if you do it, if you give it a shot, it actually changes you and your perspective on reading to animals and caring for them,” Brooklyn said.

For more information about the “DFW Humane Society” click here.

For more information about NBC’s upcoming “Clear The Shelters” pet adoption event click here.  

For more information about NBC 5’s “Reading With You” click here.