Can dogs read? Not English. But they are helping children to read English, Spanish, and other languages at public libraries throughout Orange County, California. These therapy dogs are part of the nonprofit OC Animal Allies’ Canine literacy program. The dogs also visit local schools and community events to help toddlers to teenagers improve reading fluency and reduce anxiety when reading out loud. The canine companion gives the children a non judgemental ear for them to read to. According to the organization, petting a dog lowers blood pressure and stress. The literacy program is funded by donations and volunteers. In the program, the dogs learn essential skills and spend four months with adults and two months at a children’s facility. The dogs are the program’s volunteers’ personal pets. OC Animal Allies has 175 volunteers and offers five therapy dogs initiatives under the Pets Are Wonderful Support (PAWS) program in which the literacy program has been operating for twenty years. To learn more about the canine literacy program and ways to donate click here https://www.ocanimalallies.org/our-programs/paws-therapy-dogs/helping-kids-public-libraries/