Therapets added to Fife library to help young children read with confidence

The cute canine is taking part in free Therapet sessions – suitable for children aged five and above – at Leslie Library over the next three Saturdays.

It’s one of many dogs across Scotland helping to build the confidence of children who find reading challenging.

Cuddling in with a Therapet such as Jilli can boost the ability of those who get a little tongue-tied or struggle when asked to read out loud.

A pet’s calming presence relaxes children and makes it easier for the words to flow, say organisers of the Reading With Dogs initiative.

Managed by the charity Canine Concern Scotland Trust, it is now in its tenth year. Each Therapet is assessed by the charity and then works for a year with adults before completing an additional assessment that enables it to work with children.

Mel Hughes, the trust’s chief executive, said: “The idea is simple. Dogs are there to listen and not judge, allowing the children to relax and gain confidence in reading out loud. The dogs only do this as long as they are also enjoying the experience.”

The Leslie drop-ins are being hosted by cultural charity OnFife, which runs the library. One-hour sessions, starting at 11:00am, are scheduled for February 18 and 25, and March 4.

Sharron Brown, OnFife’s libraries service development officer added: “There was a fantastic response to our first Read to a Therapet session – Jilli’s a great listener and a real encouragement to all who have taken part.”