Animal Friends Pet Assisted Literacy Services (PALS) is back!
Our Pet-Assisted Literacy Services (PALS) build confidence and promote a love of reading through the animal-human bond. By enjoying books that have been selected and approved as aligning with Animal Friends’ vision of a humane and compassionate future for every animal friend, participants will develop reading skills by reading aloud to our PALS trained Therapets teams. The teams are comprised of dogs, cats or rabbits and their handlers who are certified through our Therapets program and maintain current state-required background clearances.
Animal Friends is proud to offer two types of pet assisted literacy programming:
Reading PALS
This school-based literacy service targets shy or struggling readers in grades 1-3 or older students with learning exceptionalities in the Pittsburgh area who are experiencing reading challenges. Certified therapy animals and handlers visit area schools and work with students who have been recommended by a teacher or reading specialist to participate in read-aloud sessions with an animal and their handler/owner. We partner with classroom educators who facilitate the sessions with the volunteers. School reading specialists or librarians help students select reading material appropriate to their reading level.
Please note: The Animal Friends Therapeutic Programs Coordinator will review books with animals to ensure humane messaging consistent with Animal Friends Mission, Vision and Values found here: Animal Friends Mission, Vision and Values Animal Friends may ask school staff to help students choose a different book if deemed necessary.
Animal Friends will also provide a selection of humane education books to sites needing them. Reading PALS provides a supportive and non-judgmental environment where reading is a fun and positive experience. Students also learn about respecting companion animals and the value of humane education.
Reading PALS is a school-based program only and does not take place at Animal Friends.
Event PALS
Readers of all ages and ability levels can participate in Therapets Literacy activities through our Event PALS programs. These events and programs are less formal than Reading PALS and are open to anyone wishing to practice reading to animals. Event PALS take place outside of the classroom at a library, community event, summer camp, or other local venue. PALS events feature an opportunity to meet a certified literacy animal and participate in a literacy activity, such as listening to an animal-themed story at a library or reading aloud to an animal. Event PALS teams will bring Animal Friends provided humane messaging books. Our current list of approved books can be found here: PALS Book List
Reading to shelter animals at the Animal Friends campus is currently NOT available. However, families may register their emerging reader for a 15-minute one-on-one session with a PALS team on our campus during We Time Weekends. Additional information can be found here: Humane Education Programs
Animal Friends’ literacy programs build confidence and promote a love of reading through the animal-human bond!
To request visits from Reading PALS, please complete our Reading PALS request form found here: Reading PALS Request Form
To request a visit from Event PALS, please complete our Event PALS request form here: Event PALS Request Form
For more information about either of the Animal Friends PALS programs, please email PALS@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.Org or call (412) 847-7030.
If you are interested in volunteering with your pet in our Reading or Event PALS programs, you MUST first become a certified Therapets team through Animal Friends. More information on the Therapets evaluation and training process can be found on our website: Therapets