Kids learning to read and shelter dogs - your feel-good story of the day

What a great idea - a Missouri animal shelter has launched a program in which local children can practice reading to shelter dogs, to the benefit of both the kids and the dogs. From the linked article:

The program finds children who need practice reading aloud, or those with fear of audiences, and asks them to volunteer at their shelter.

The only thing they need to bring is a book (or several!) of their own choosing.

The children then simply sit in front of a kennel with a dog they want to read to, and begin reading from their book. They are able to practice reading and public speaking in a nonjudgmental environment, and the dogs are able to slowly adjust to the presence of humans.

Adorable pic snicked from the linked article.

Klepacki, who is the assistant director of the Missouri Humane Society, said that the goal of the program is to get the dog, who at the beginning of the reading is usually crouched in the back of their kennel, to have walked to the front and to be sitting directly in front of the child by the time the reading is over.

Dogs that stay near the front of their kennel get adopted more quickly, so this practice often helps them find a home faster.

H/T to The Write Life on Facebook for the link.