At one time, people placed bets on Cutter. Now, they read to him.
Cutter, an eight-year-old former greyhound racer, retired to a life at the Sam Lena-South Tucson Branch Library, where he helps children learn to read.
The Read to a Dog program through the Pima County Public Library enlists dogs from the community to listen to children from preschool through mid-elementary school.
“The idea is that this gives children who are learning how to read be able to read to an appreciative, non-critical audience,” said Leanne Yoder, branch manager at Sam Lena.“It also provides some children who have had a difficult experience with dogs in the past to have a positive experience now.”
Cutter, formerly known as Cutthroat Island, started out racing at Tucson Greyhound Park, only a mile from Sam Lena. However, at three years old, he got into a fight with another greyhound at the racetrack. His injuries made it more expensive to treat him than to retire him.
Then, Cindy Nadler rescued him.
“He was afraid of everything,” Nadler said. “That’s why it took [four years] to get him to where he could be [in] Read to a Dog.”
When Cutter was rescued, he was timid. Brooms, hoses, even Nadler’s husband made him shake.
But now, he listens to children with ease.
“He is good with kids, because to him, they are non-threatening,” Nadler said.
Sam Lena gained a friend as well. The library was without a dog for more than a year before Nadler brought Cutter. Now, kids can enjoy the stress-free reading environment that Cutter provides.
“It is a safe place where the children can practice getting closer to the dog,” Yoder said. “The dogs become an ambassador for their breed and also help the children.”
Theresa Le Gros, volunteer coordinator at the Humane Society of Southern Arizona, said the result is therapy on both sides.
“It’s a way to spread the joy,” she said. “The dogs have places to go and interact.”
The Humane Society of Southern Arizona trains many dogs like Cutter to become visitation dogs. Through their “Pet V.I.P.” program, dogs of all breeds and sizes learn to be around people. The Read to a Dog program is one of the many programs their graduates are placed in.
At the library, children get to sit on the floor and show pictures to the dog as they turn the page.
“The child is the boss. They choose what to read,” said Yoder. “It is all about a positive experience and having a good warm feeling about reading.”
The program has seen a change in the kids who participate: after a few weeks, they feel more confident in their reading.
“Children have received a lot of corrections while reading, and they tense up or make a mistake,” Yoder said. “But dogs don’t do that. They are interested in the child’s movement of the hand, they are interested in the story and they are looking at the story. No one is stopping them.”
Eventually, Nadler is hoping to have Cutter go to schools.
“He will always be shy,” she said. “But I can see it working. I can see how important it is. He gets to interact with people and kids and they get to see how gentle a greyhound really is.”
At one time, people placed bets on Cutter. Now, they read to him.
Cutter, an eight-year-old former greyhound racer, retired to a life at the Sam Lena-South Tucson Branch Library, where he helps children learn to read.
The Read to a Dog program through the Pima County Public Library enlists dogs from the community to listen to children from preschool through mid-elementary school.
“The idea is that this gives children who are learning how to read be able to read to an appreciative, non-critical audience,” said Leanne Yoder, branch manager at Sam Lena.“It also provides some children who have had a difficult experience with dogs in the past to have a positive experience now.”
Cutter, formerly known as Cutthroat Island, started out racing at Tucson Greyhound Park, only a mile from Sam Lena. However, at three years old, he got into a fight with another greyhound at the racetrack. His injuries made it more expensive to treat him than to retire him.
Then, Cindy Nadler rescued him.
“He was afraid of everything,” Nadler said. “That’s why it took [four years] to get him to where he could be [in] Read to a Dog.” When Cutter was rescued, he was timid. Brooms, hoses, even Nadler’s husband made him shake.
But now, he listens to children with ease.
“He is good with kids, because to him, they are non-threatening,” Nadler said.
Sam Lena gained a friend as well. The library was without a dog for more than a year before Nadler brought Cutter. Now, kids can enjoy the stress-free reading environment that Cutter provides.
“It is a safe place where the children can practice getting closer to the dog,” Yoder said. “The dogs become an ambassador for their breed and also help the children.”
Theresa Le Gros, volunteer coordinator at the Humane Society of Southern Arizona, said the result is therapy on both sides.
“It’s a way to spread the joy,” she said. “The dogs have places to go and interact.” The Humane Society of Southern Arizona trains many dogs like Cutter to become visitation dogs.
Through their “Pet V.I.P.” program, dogs of all breeds and sizes learn to be around people. The Read to a Dog program is one of the many programs their graduates are placed in. At the library, children get to sit on the floor and show pictures to the dog as they turn the page.
“The child is the boss. They choose what to read,” said Yoder. “It is all about a positive experience and having a good warm feeling about reading.”
The program has seen a change in the kids who participate: after a few weeks, they feel more confident in their reading.
“Children have received a lot of corrections while reading, and they tense up or make a mistake,” Yoder said. “But dogs don’t do that. They are interested in the child’s movement of the hand, they are interested in the story and they are looking at the story. No one is stopping them.”
Eventually, Nadler is hoping to have Cutter go to schools.
“He will always be shy,” she said. “But I can see it working. I can see how important it is. He gets to interact with people and kids and they get to see how gentle a greyhound really is.”
At one time, people placed bets on Cutter. Now, they read to him. 