Calling all readers!

Did you know that reading to shelter animals can help lower their stress, calm them down, and improve their shelter experience? It also can help our readers gain confidence with their reading skills and reading aloud, and learn to interact compassionately with animals.

Our Paws to Read Children’s Reading Program provides much-needed quiet socialization for our cats. It gives them a chance to relax and enjoy a story (they love looking at the pictures)!  Animals also make the best judgment-free audience to readers still mastering their skills. Readers of all levels are welcome!

 
Who can benefit from the Paws to Read Children’s Reading Program?
  • Children struggling to read
  • Children needing a confidence boost
  • Children needing service hours for school or extracurricular activities/clubs
  • Children wanting to spend time with animals!
Paws to Read session details
  • Children can bring their own favorite books from home or read from our selection of animal stories.
  • Duration: 30 minutes
  • Availability: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 3:00pm, 4:00pm, or 5:00pm
  • Ages: 5+
  • Cost: $5 per session
  • Each session can accommodate 1 to 2 children. Each child MUST be accompanied by a parent or trusted adult for the duration of the visit.  
  • Both the child and chaperone are required to watch our orientation video prior to their visit.

Ready to participate? Schedule your session here!

Questions? Contact Program Coordinator, Erin Dams, at edams@rvspca.org or 540-339-9503 for more information.