About Therapaws to READ
In 2004, a few of our Therapaws members partnered with R.E.A.D. (Reading Education Assistance Dogs), a program launched in 1999 by Intermountain Therapy Animals (ITA) in a public library in Utah.
The mission of the R.E.A.D. program is to improve the literacy skills of children through the assistance of registered pet therapy teams as literacy mentors.
The R.E.A.D. program improves children's reading and communication skills by making dogs available for children to read aloud to. It was found that the level of reading-aloud confidence scored high in testing individual children involved in this program.
Now, dogs are being used for boosting reading confidence in schools and libraries as well. (Learn more about ITA's R.E.A.D. program by visiting www.TherapyAnimals.org). Today, several Therapaws members also are registered as R.E.A.D. teams and visit facilities in Ann Arbor, Chelsea, Dexter, Saline, Huntington Woods, Southfield, and Ypsilanti.
Today, Therapaws to READ - our individualized program - is focused in Ann Arbor, Saline, Dexter, Pinckney and Ypsilanti and expanding to more communities every year.
Request Our Therapaws to READ Visits
If you believe the Therpaws to READ program can make a difference to your children, then Therapaws can help you meet these needs.
Currently, Therapaws is serving Ann Arbor and surrounding communities only. READ locations outside the Ann Arbor area generally result from a READ team moving to another location.
To request Therapaws to READ visits to your facility (schools, libraries, etc):
- Please print out this form (532 KB PDF file), fill in all the information, and mail it to:
Therapaws of Michigan, Inc.
P.O. Box 92
Dexter, MI 48130 - A Therapaws member will contact you and discuss your needs and Therapaws' procedures.
Therapaws remains available in a support position. You can send us an email - info(at)therapaws.org - to find out what facilities are currently being visited by Therapaws to READ.