ENGLEWOOD -- Pet therapy dogs are helping struggling young readers overcome the stress and stigma of under performing in the first of the Three Rs, local educators and animal workers say.
The Englewood-based Suncoast Humane Society has 32 teams of trained therapy dogs and handlers that visit area schools, libraries, assisted living facilities and private homes, bringing furry joy to scores of appreciative fans.
Best of all, it's free.
On the second Monday of each month, dog-and-person teams show up at the Elsie Quirk Library so children can read to tail-wagging acclaim in an environment free of criticism.
"They sit there and read and the dogs sit there and listen and they all pet the dogs," said Cris Walton, the senior youth librarian at Elsie Quirk.
The Suncoast Humane Society is in its eighth year of sending pet therapy teams to libraries in Venice, North Port and Englewood.
Dogs complete rigorous training and are evaluated every two years for temperament and ability to multi-task, said Claire Berten, director of volunteer services at the Suncoast Humane Society.
If you're a dog, multi-tasking means handling stress (such as tail-pulling) and noise cheerfully.
Growling, snapping or refusing direction from a handler constitutes failure.
"We never know what situations we're going to be called into," Berten said.
For two years, Venice Middle School teacher Dixie Lee has used pet therapy dogs every other Monday in her intensive reading class for sixth graders.
The stigma and negative connotations associated with poor reading skills can be stressful for students, Lee said.
Dogs help them relax.
"I have special needs students and I can see them really coming out of their shells," Lee said "The dogs come every other Monday and they just hate it when it's not a dog day."
The one-on-one attention helps and Lee said she often sees instant results.
"When kids are on their own it can take weeks to reach the 40-words-per-minute reading goal," she said. "I can't give my students one-on-one but the pet therapy teams can. A lot of kids come back after 20 minutes with the pet therapy team and have reached their goal of reading 40 words or more."
About 70 percent of area dog handlers are retired, Berten said. Several are retired teachers. One is a reading consultant.
Others, like Audrey Frazer, take their dogs to work.
Frazer works as a broker's assistant at Margaret Adorjan Real Estate.
She and her golden retriever, Bailey, work as a team.
"I realized how dogs can break barriers between people," Frazer said. "The kids will open up and talk about their animals, friends and family. When they read, they hold the dog's paws. They give unconditional love, the children and the dogs both."
Walton said she has observed pet therapy dogs listening patiently and calmly as the children read in the library.
"Some of the kids come because they don't have dogs at home," she said. "They build a rapport with the dogs."
Between the libraries, schools, homes and public relations events for Suncoast Humane Society, Berten estimates the dogs work 22 days a month on average in Sarasota, Charlotte and part of Lee counties.
During summer months, about half the dogs and handlers head north, spreading the remaining teams thin.
But the need remains.
Out-of-state children sometimes call Suncoast Humane Society and ask for a pet therapy team to visit their aging parents.
"Sometimes with seniors, they don't get a lot of hugs and we see wonderful relationships form," Berten said. "Many sit in the room all day despite attempts to get them out."
The service is free to the community. Animals are freshly groomed. Handlers must have a photo ID. Shots have to be up-to- date.
Suncoast Humane Society is funded by private donations, receiving no county, state or federal money, Berten said.
"I can't remember turning down a request for the dogs," Berten said. "Anything we can do to help, anyone that needs us, we're there."
For more information on pet therapy dogs, call 941-474-7884, extension 420.
E-mail: dsanchez@sun-herald.com
By DANA SANCHEZ
Assistant Englewood Editor