It’s 2:00 on Thursday afternoon at the Albany Public Library - time to begin the weekly session of Paws to Read, a program that allows children with reading difficulties to practice their skills with dogs.   Suzi Sargent, the children’s librarian, has carefully selected 15 books and arranged them on a long table.  Today’s selection is all about dogs and includes Bertie Was a Watchdog, Animal Hospital, and Clifford Goes to Dog School.   

Franklin, Zedd and Buddy have arrived early to prepare for story time. Having eagerly greeted each other, they are now patiently lounging on oversized floor pillows positioned strategically throughout the room.   The three are canine graduates of a non-profit organization called Therapy Pets and each has a story of his own to tell.  

Franklin

 “I’ve seen children who wouldn’t read a word if a parent was nearby.  However, the same child would read with ease to Franklin once the parent stepped away,” says Leal Charonnet, Franklin’s guardian.   Leal and his wife Terry rescued Franklin, an Australian Shepherd, from the North Bay Canine Rescue  in Petaluma eight years ago and trained him to be a therapy dog.  

The Charonnets already had a dog but were on a foster care list for dogs in desperate need.  One afternoon at 4:30, Terry received an urgent call from the organization asking if she would be willing to adopt or foster a three-year-old male from the Martinez Shelter.  Franklin, a beautiful, easy-going dog, had been at the shelter for a month but no one had contacted the local rescue groups because they were convinced Franklin would be adopted quickly.  

Terry was the last name on the foster care list and no one else had been able to help.  The shelter was going to euthanize Franklin at 5:00.  With so little time to act and no time to consider alternatives, Terry decided she and Leal would become a two-dog family and agreed, sight unseen, to adopt Franklin.   

Zedd

Like Franklin, Zedd has been a therapy dog for several years and participates in the Paws to Read program at two different libraries.  The 12-year-old Beagle with a graying muzzle is described as “sweet and loving” by his guardian, Virginia Jones.  Soon after adopting Zedd at 9 months,  Virginia and her family realized he had “such a wonderful temperament, we wanted to share it.” 

Zedd started his therapy work at convalescent hospitals five years ago.  When he entered the Paws to Read program at the Lakeshore Library in Oakland, he immediately garnered the attention of an autistic boy.  The child "responds to Zedd in a special way" says Virginia.  "His eyes light up and he wants to read."  The librarians nurture the relationship and always ensure Zedd and the boy have access to one another.  The two have been reading partners for three years.

“Older dogs do well in the program because they rest on their pillows for an hour while the children read,” states Leal.  However, he notes that dogs also experience a certain amount of stress related to therapy work so sessions last no more than one hour.  Indications of stress can include “nervousness, panting, and shutting down.”  Dogs are "situation specific" according to Leal and work hard but require periodic breaks just like humans.

Buddy

You would never guess that Buddy has a care in the world – until you see him walk or hear his story.  Buddy is an eight-year-old, three-legged Golden Retriever, with a stunning red coat and a loving nature.  Buddy is also a cancer survivor who spent the last six months recovering from the amputation of his left hind leg and undergoing chemotherapy.  This is his first day back at work and he is happy to be among friends.

As a puppy, his guardian Kathleen Dillon often played with him at the local dog park.  One day when Buddy was a year old, he broke away from Kathleen and ran headlong towards a baby stroller at the other end of the park.  Fearing that the overzealous pup would upset the stroller, Kathleen gave chase, calling for Buddy to stop.  But Buddy was determined.

When Kathleen caught up with Buddy, she realized the stroller was actually a wheelchair holding an eight-year-old quadriplegic girl.  The child could only move three fingers on one hand.  Buddy was resting his face gently on her leg and she was massaging his chin.  The girl’s caretaker told Kathleen how much the child loved dogs and how she had encouraged the parents to adopt one for her.  It was at that moment Kathleen understood Buddy had a calling.

After completing his training as a therapy dog, Kathleen and Buddy visited different facilities including a children’s hospital and a hospice in Alameda.  Kathleen soon noticed that many more volunteers gravitated to the children so she and Buddy focused on the hospice, where they have been regular visitors for five years.

Kathleen admits she spoiled Buddy before he became ill but “it’s hard to refuse him anything now.”  She beams at him and offers occasional treats as he rests calmly on his pillow while a child reads.  Whether the treats are reward for being a good listener or a celebration of Buddy's cancer remission is hard to say.

The hour is almost over and Suzi urges the children to finish their stories.  They have enjoyed reading to the dogs and reluctantly return their books to the table.  Though life hasn't always been easy for these three therapy dogs or the people they encounter, Zedd, Buddy, and Franklin all have stories of their own to tell and happy endings to share.

Photos by Best Friends Volunteer Newswriter Elizabeth Sundstrom