About Therapaws to R.E.A.D.
In 2004, Therapaws 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 as well. (Learn more about ITA's R.E.A.D. program by visiting www.therapyanimals.org).
Request Our Therapaws to R.E.A.D. Visits
If you believe the Therpaws to R.E.A.D. program can make a difference to your children, then Therapaws of Michigan, Inc. (Therapaws) can help you meet these needs.
- 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.
Facilities Visited by Therapaws to R.E.A.D.
Today, several Therapaws members also are registered as R.E.A.D. teams and visit facilities in Belleville, Chelsea, Dexter, and Ypsilanti. Therapaws is looking to expand the R.E.A.D. program into Ann Arbor and other communities.
Therapaws to R.E.A.D. Facilities
Belleville (Fred C. Fischer) Library
167 Fourth Street
Belleville, MI 48111
Chelsea District Library
500 Washington Street
Chelsea, MI 48118
Cornerstone Elementary School
7840 Dan Hoey Road
Dexter, MI 48130
Ypsilanti District Library
229 West Michigan Avenue
Ypsilanti, MI 48197