It is nice to know that little children are learning to treat animals kindly at a young age.
In Missouri, an animal shelter called the Missouri Humane Society launched a program that involves young kids developing a soft spot for animals.
The campaign prepares shy and aloof shelter dogs to begin mingling with people.
It sometimes creates a bond that leads to pet adoption.
The campaign named the Shelter Buddies Reading Program is popular at the local rescue.
Shelter Buddies Reading Program recruits children aged six to 15.
Kids and dogs from the shelter are buddied up.
But not just any dogs, No they are the ones that are shy, frightened, and withdrawn.
The kids will finish a 10-hour training agenda to get them ready.
And then they can proceed to a dog’s kennel where they sit and read them a story from the book.
Because of this interaction, the dogs experience humans activity without requiring physical interaction.
According to the animal shelter’s management, this activity exposes these dogs to human activity and provides a fun time.
They achieve this without the stress of physical contact with people.
These stressors in some animals result in withdrawing and being anxious when they have physical contact.
These story sessions remove the physical component allowing for a less stressful experience.
The campaign benefits the animals as and the kids as well.
While they are developing their reading and comprehension skills, these kids are also creating habits of kind interactions with the animals.
This is a perfect setting for kids to learn and understand that just like humans, animals also have feelings and fears.
They discover they can develop skills to assist others in relieving stress and assist in reducing someone else's fear.
Because of the program, these dogs are slowly exhibiting more sociable behavior.
They seem to lose themselves and begin to focus on the child. This, in turn, melts away their own anxiety and gives them personal courage.
The same is true of ourselves when we focus on helping others we forget about the big problem that we thought was consuming us.
Some of the animals sit calmly listening and looking at the kids while they are reading their books nearby.
The management of the animal rescue center is happy that at such a young age,
these kids are learning the skill of compassion for others by interacting with these animals.
Credits to Bored Panda