Hudson Valley Humane Society Visiting Pet Program Launches "Paws for Reading"
The HVHS Visiting Pet Program launched "Paws for Reading" in June of 2006 at the New City Library. Many enthusiastic children had a chance to read one-on-one on a Cat-in-the-Hat quilt with Annie, a mixed-breed Delta Society registered therapy dog and Risa Hoag, Annie’s handler and a Certified Humane Education Specialist (including Daniel below).
Paws for Reading is an affiliate of the Reading Education Assistance Dogs® (R.E.A.D.) program developed by Intermountain Therapy Animals in Utah. The Paws for Reading program is always offered free to both schools and libraries. All of our Pet Partner® teams are volunteers and the Visiting Pet Program is a non-profit organization sustained solely by donations.
The mission of the R.E.A.D. program is to improve the literacy skills of children through the assistance of registered Pet Partner therapy teams as literacy mentors. This unique educational approach was first introduced on CBS’s “60 Minutes” more than 20 years ago. The animals in the program have been trained and tested for health, safety, skills and temperament through Delta.
The R.E.A.D. program offers children an opportunity to improve their reading in a setting which has proven effective and fun.
The HVHS Visiting Pet Program currently has 16 R.E.A.D. teams and Risa Hoag is a licensed R.E.A.D. Instructor with Intermountain Therapy Animals. Our group offers R.E.A.D. workshops several times throughout the year for those who wish to become R.E.A.D. teams as well as for librarians, school teachers and school administrators who would like to learn more about the benefits of this unique program. Please check our events page for details on upcoming workshops.
There are more than 1,400 R.E.A.D. teams throughout the United States, the U.K., Canada and Australia some of which participate in Animal Assisted Therapy in school settings where goals are established for each child with teachers and reading specialists. The child then works one-on-one with the R.E.A.D. team to track the reading improvement progress of participating students. Schools in Rockland and Bergen county that would like to arrange for a R.E.A.D. program in their school should send an e-mail to Risa Hoag at VPPHumaneEd@aol.com or call 845-627-3000.
The Hudson Valley Humane Society Visiting Pet Program has been providing animal assisted services throughout Rockland and Bergen for the past 13 years and makes regular free visits to nursing homes, assisted living facilities and hospitals with its 22 Pet Partner teams. The organization, which operates as a 501(c)(3) non-profit tax exempt corporation, conducts regular training programs for others who would like to participate in this rewarding volunteer activity.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A R.E.A.D. TEAM VISIT YOUR SCHOOL OR LIBRARY TO ASSIST CHILDREN WITH READING, PLEASE SEND AN E-MAIL TO VPPHumaneEd@aol.com OR CALL RISA HOAG AT 845-627-3000.
Click HERE to download a PDF file that explains the steps to starting a R.E.A.D. program in your school.
GIRL SCOUT TROOP CHOOSES "PAWS FOR READING" FOR THEIR BRONZE AWARD
Girl Scout Troop 627 of Nanuet has chosen Paws for Reading to support for their Bronze Award. They are learning all about R.E.A.D. and even joined us for a recent R.E.A.D. program at New City Library. The girls will also be collecting new and gently used books at the schools in Nanuet for us to give to the young students who read with us and they will be handing out flyers at pet stores throughout the area to help spread the word about our program and help us recruit new members. Thank you girls!!!
UPCOMING READ PROGRAM DATES
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BECOMING A R.E.A.D. TEAM WITH YOUR DOG, CAT, BIRD OR OTHER PET, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ATTEND ONE OR SEVERAL OF THE SESSIONS BELOW TO GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS.
Saturday, July 19
10 :30 - 12:30
R.E.A.D. at New City Library
Saturday, July 26
10:30 - 12:30
R.E.A.D. at New City Library
Saturday, September 13
10:30 - 12:30
R.E.A.D. at New City Library
Saturday, September 20
10:30 - 12:30
R.E.A.D. at New City Library
Saturday, October 11
8:45 - 2:00 PM
R.E.A.D. Training Workshop, Valley Cottage
Saturday, November 1
10:30 - 12:30
R.E.A.D. at New City Library
R.E.A.D. Reunion at New City Library!
Our R.E.A.D. Reunion at New City Library on June 14th was a BIG success! A big thank you to our R.E.A.D. teams who participated, Dolores, CJ & Chloe, Roberta & Chip, Annette & Star, Lori & Arrow, Margo & Belle and Risa & Annie. Additional thanks go to Susan and Randy at the New City Library for making it possible. More thanks to Kelley Hoag who took the photos below and Samantha Hoag and Nicole Vitale, from girl scout troop 627 who helped collect books and recruit more teams for us! And a big thank you to all the children and families who came to spend some quality time with our dogs. We look forward to seeing you all again in July at New City Library.
Lois and Gilly were the first HVHS VPP R.E.A.D. team to work in a School. They read each week with children from Sloatsburg Elementary School and have been featured in the Journal News!
Barbara and Kaila are our second team to read with children in an elementary school. They work at Florida Elementary in Orange County, NY
Check back often to see when our next R.E.A.D. training workshop will be held.
Thanks to everyone who helped and all the children who have read to our dogs at the New City Library. We'll be back soon!
If you would like to learn more about our participation in the R.E.A.D. program, please send an e-mail to VPPHumaneEd@aol.com