A new program at the Corpus Christi Animal Care Services is encouraging children to read while helping animals at the shelter.
Every Thursday between 4 pm and 5 pm, kids are encouraged to go to the shelter and read to the cats and dogs.
Ellie Farrell is just one of many children who has joined the new Woof Pack Readers Program at CCACS.
“I like all animals,” said Ellie.
The program encourages children to read and gives the animals more human interaction.
“For us being the municipal shelter we don’t get as many people to come in and help us, volunteer. So, this program does help us reach out to the younger generation to help them get involved,” said Sarah Broun of Live Releamany
The program is also helping children improve their reading skills as they read to the animals who are non-judgemental listeners. The animals the children are reading to are all up for adoption.
“When they do have a chance to be read to or that social interaction, the dogs come out of their shell a lot better and they get a chance to get adopted later on,” said Broun.
The program started just two weeks ago and it has already attracted dozens of children. The children must be supervised by an adult and its recommended readers bring at least three books to read for the hour-long period.
Readers are required to sign up before or upon arrival. Participants will get a set of rules, a description of how the program runs and a gift of gratitude for participating while supplies last.
