The Babinski Foundation in Pequot Lakes has found a unique way to let children hang out with the animals waiting to be adopted.

The animal shelter created Rescue Readers, a program where kids choose to read to either cats or dogs. After spending time in the shelter reading to the animals, they’ll draw a picture of the cat or dog they spent time with and write why they should be adopted.

Shelter staff say it’s an activity that’s mutually beneficial for the children and the animals.

“The animals can be very calming, we see some of our most troublesome, maybe, or shy animals that actually come out and sit right with the kids, which is wonderful, and for them it’s great, too, just to be able to read in an area by themselves and improve their reading skills,” said Brooke Pfiffner, The Babinski Foundation Marketing Coordinator. “It gives us a different perspective on the animals as well. We get to see them interact with kids, which is always great to let people know these guys do wonderful with kids. And kids’ minds are really creative and it’s nice to see what they have to see about the animals.”

This was only the shelter’s third time holding the Rescue Readers program, but there are plans to have it again in the future. More information on The Babinski Foundation can be found on their website or Facebook page.

By — Lakeland News