Therapy Tails© Program

The Reading with Rover program in Washington state indicates that their program helped turn children’s reading environments into a non-threatening place where children can read for the fun of it. “There is no risk of being embarrassed when a word is mispronounced or a student reads slowly or doesn’t understand the exact meaning of a sentence.”

Children join AAT reading programs because they are below grade level or have self esteem issues and have been identified as at-risk. 

Children in these reading programs have improved self confidence and a pride in their accomplishments.  They find reading more fun and actually will volunteer to read aloud in class. 

Researcher Aaron Katcher in his book, Between Pets and People: The Importance of Animal Companionship, 1996 Purdue University Press, notes that the presence of an animal can create a therapeutic environment by:

• Drawing attention outward

• Turning off anxiety, anger, depression

• Creating safety

• Creating intimacy

• Increasing positive expectations of self and others

Penny's From Heaven Foundation Therapy Dogs, 'Kelsie' and 'Cindy', provide a comfy place to read for children at Ft. Sam Houston Elementary School. These dogs are certified with Intermountain Therapy Dogs Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) program.

For information on Penny’s From Heaven Foundation’s Therapy Tails Program

Contact: Patsy Swendson – 210-273-6471