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Thursday, May 2, 2024

Humane Society of Marion County inviting children to read to shelter dogs

The Humane Society of Marion County is inviting children between the ages of 6 and 13 to participate in its reading program.

During each session of the DogGone Good Reading Program, children will read to the dogs while their parent or guardian waits in a separate area of the shelter. According to HSMC, children do better when they are reading to a non-judgmental dog with no outside criticism.

Humane Society of Marion County inviting children to read to shelter dogs
A child reading to a dog during a recent DogGone Good Reading session at the shelter (Photo: Humane Society of Marion County)

The reading program is held on select Saturdays throughout the year at the Humane Society of Marion County, which is located at 701 NW 14th Road in Ocala.

The next DogGone Good Reading sessions will take place on Saturday, March 4, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. While both of these sessions are currently full, parents and guardians can sign up their children for the waiting list, and they will be notified by phone if any participants cancel.

According to HSMC’s website, more DogGone Good Reading Program dates will be posted online soon.

Humane Society of Marion County inviting children to read to shelter dogs
A child showing a book to one of the shelter dogs during a recent DogGone Good Reading session (Photo: Humane Society of Marion County)

There is a maximum of 12 children per session, and all participating children must register in advance. A staff member from HSMC will call to confirm participation the week before the selected date.

For more information, or to apply for the program, visit the Humane Society of Marion County’s Doggone Good Reading Program webpage.