Kids Read To Shelter Cats To Help Them Socialise. “Story Tails” Shelter Program

Humane Society of Lebanon County (USA) started “Story Tails”, a new volunteer program similar to the “Book Buddies” program launched by one Pennsylvania’s shelter. “Story Tails” program aims to help cats socialise and get used to human presence. The half-hour animal shelter’s program also helps kids – to improve their reading and social skills, and to teach them how to be kind to animals.

Instead of spending their day off from school on playing children games, students from Southeast Elementary School participated in a rewarding and important shelter program “Story Tails” organised by Humane Society of Lebanon County (lebanonhumane.org).

11 kids visited the shelter to read classic books like “Cinderella” and “Are You My Mother?” to shelter cats.

The reading activity was highly beneficial for cats. Kacy Hopkins, communications director at the Humane Society of Lebanon County, said that often the cats were afraid of people and the reading made them feel more comfortable as they could hear voices and had human presence.

The cats were happily purring and rubbing against kids’ legs while the kids were reading them stories.

Francy Reigert, a teacher who introduced the idea of the “Story Tails” shelter program to student council, was very happy with the results.

The most impressive was that the kids happily volunteered their time for cats. They wanted to get involved and do something fun.

The program helped many kids to get out of the shell, to improve their social skills, and to show kindness towards cats.

As the program was so beneficial for cats, helping them to socialise and feel more comfortable with people, the shelter plans to extend the reading program to dogs.

Tagged bond, book, campaign, cats, children, Humane Society of Lebanon County, idea, kids, program, reading, rescue, shelter, socialise, Southeast Elementary School, Story Tails, USA, volunteering