Reading to Shelter Animals in Pittsburgh

Back by popular demand! Animal Tales is a program in which children ages 4-17 can read to adoptable animals at HARP’s East Side shelter!

This program aims to provide socialization and enrichment for the animals in our care, increasing their wellbeing and adoptability. In the process, our readers build confidence in their literacy skills and learn lessons about animal interactions and body language that will last a lifetime.

Participants attend an orientation (along with their grown up) to learn all about our HARP shelter, the domestic animals here, and the keys to observing animal behavior. Once you and your child attend an orientation, they can sign up for as many or as few assigned dates to come read to the animals! Children can bring their own books (or choose from our collection) and then read to animals whose kennels are marked with a “Read to me next!” sign.

Pricing:

• Orientation – $10 per child (one-time fee)
• Each Reading – $7 per reading session

Other notes:

Allergens: We do our best to make our programming a safe and inclusive space, but be advised that there may be allergens present at our facility (like pollen, animal dander, and nuts).

Accessibility & Inclusivity: We would like to offer one Monday reading session a month (in addition to the two other sessions) to provide a more sensory-friendly experience (since the shelter is closed to the public on Mondays). This program is welcoming and inclusive of people of all reading abilities, so please let us know if your reader may require any special accommodation.

Register for an orientation and the reading sessions online via our Active Network software (click the button below). Note that registration for April & May readings will be available on March 1^st!

Please read these expectations below before registering for the program. The benefits for the animals and readers are endless! To set everyone up for success, check out our FAQ below to understand more about what to expect!