Page 28 - South Mississippi Living - June, 2016

COASTNOTES
CLUB PAWS
Humane Society of South Mississippi launches reading program
Bella West reads to Racey, who is currently available for adoption at HSSM.
The Humane Society of South Mississippi (HSSM) is offering the chance to bring children closer to shelter dogs in a unique way: letting young students read books to shelter dogs.
“We have a lot of kids who come to the shelter and
want to help, but we don’t allow anyone to volunteer unless they are sixteen years old and have been through a dog-handling course,” explained Maren Slay, HSSM’s marketing specialist. “Club Paws allows for younger volunteers. It’s based on a badge system, where children can earn badges based on the volunteer work they do for the shelter.”
Child volunteers can help prepare treats, by stuffing Kong-style toys with peanut butter, or help to raise money for shelter donations by hosting lemonade stands
or donating their gently used toys to the thrift store.
The Club Paws reading program is launching this summer, providing benefits to both the animals and the children. There is supervision and parents can be present with their children.
“It can lower the dogs’ stress and anxiety levels, as well as getting used to having children close to them,” said
Slay. Reduced stress levels can hopefully lower the incidence
of common illnesses, such
as kennel cough, but it can also help acclimate the dog to a home environment so the adoption process runs more smoothly.
Lori West, HSSM’s executive director, said the program not only offers a nonjudgmental environment to encourage children who are learning to read, but it also teaches them the importance of giving and the act of selflessness. “We are more than just a shelter,” West said. “This is
a destination where people can come to celebrate the human-animal relationship. We want to be able to continue the life- saving work, and the only way we can do that is for people to donate and support the Humane Society in any way possible.”
Club Paws is a year-round program,
but the reading program will only be a summer activity, available for children ages 7 to 15. Registration began May 1, and sessions will be held most Mondays in June and July from 11 a.m. to noon. Each session is limited to ten children.
To register, call 228.822.3803 or email maren@hssm.org.
2615 25th Avenue, Gulfport www.hssm.org
story by Lisa Kröger
photos courtesy of Humane Society of South Mississippi
28 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • June 2016
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