After pandemic 'paws,' Hempstead Town animal shelter resumes dog reading program
Julia Terzulli, 9, of East Meadow, reads to Minnie at the Hempstead Town animal shelter in Wantagh on Feb. 23. Credit: Kendall Rodriguez
Hempstead Town has resumed its shelter dog reading program after a pandemic hiatus, to the delight of humans and canines alike.
The program, which began several years ago and restarted in January, strives to help shelter dogs relax, spend time with humans and maybe, if they’re lucky, find a forever home, too.
Dogs plucked from the streets or surrendered by owners face insurmountable stress as they adjust to their new environment. To break up the monotony of shelter life, children and families visit weekly to read a story aloud to the pups. Reading programs like Hempstead's have become popular across the country in an effort to help shelter dogs decompress from loud and chaotic shelters.
Dr. Diane Levitan, an internal medicine specialist and associate professor at Long Island University College of Veterinary Medicine, said even the best intended shelters are “confusing and stressful” for dogs. She called the program, which provides the animals with some quiet one-on-one time, “a win-win for everybody.”
“The pets definitely will benefit,” she said. “Some [participants] are going to fall in love with the dogs they’re reading to. They’re going to make the dogs, hopefully, more calm around people and acclimated better to humans.”
On a chilly February day, Minnie and Rocky waited patiently as sisters Maryn Terzulli, 6, and Julia Terzulli, 9, prepared to read to them. The girls, who visited the shelter with their mother Cara Terzulli, of East Meadow, during their winter break, learned the shelter was relaunching its reading program from a Facebook post. Julia brought a “Judy Moody” book and Maryn chose something from the “Amelia Bedelia” collection.
After a brief overview of humane education, responsible pet ownership and pet care from Gelsey Freese, who oversees the reading program, the girls approached the dogs, books in tow. Minnie, a 4-year-old Corso mix with friendly eyes, relaxed quietly as the girls read to her the adventures of Judy and Amelia. Rocky, a scruffy 11-month-old spaniel-retriever mix, eagerly eyed his potential playmates and licked his chops when they revealed treats.
“I was excited, because, I mean, they’re dogs,” Julia said with a smile. “It was nice getting to talk to them and reading to them and just calming them down.”
Cats, famous for their stubbornness and aloofness, aren’t the best reading partners, so instead of books, they get lasers, which are a "purr-fect" treat for curious felines, Freese said.
Terzulli said she planned to tell her daughter’s Girl Scout troop about the program in hopes they can find more volunteers to help soothe anxious and timid dogs.
Acting animal shelter director Ashley Behrens said interest in the program exploded after the shelter posted about it on Jan. 25. Hundreds of people commented and shared the post and close to 50 reached out the first night alone, she said. The program, typically offered on Sundays, will likely extend its hours to Saturdays to accommodate the influx of volunteers, she said.
The shelter program is open to anyone but prioritizes Hempstead residents. For more information about how to volunteer, contact the shelter.
Reading program:
- After a pandemic "paws," the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter resumed its shelter dog reading program.
- The announcement was met with such enthusiasm that the shelter expanded the program during a recent school break.
- Experts say the program can help soothe dogs who are anxious from the shelter.
Brinley Hineman covers the Town of Hempstead and the City of Long Beach for Newsday. She previously was a reporter in Nashville, Tennessee, and is a West Virginia native.
