Reading to Shelter Animals in Pittsburgh

Back by popular demand! Animal Tales is a program in which children ages 4-17 can read to adoptable animals at HARP’s East Side shelter!

This program aims to provide socialization and enrichment for the animals in our care, increasing their wellbeing and adoptability. In the process, our readers build confidence in their literacy skills and learn lessons about animal interactions and body language that will last a lifetime.

Participants attend an orientation (along with their grown up) to learn all about our HARP shelter, the domestic animals here, and the keys to observing animal behavior. Once you and your child attend an orientation, they can sign up for as many or as few assigned dates to come read to the animals! Children can bring their own books (or choose from our collection) and then read to animals whose kennels are marked with a “Read to me next!” sign.

Pricing:

• Orientation – $10 per child (one-time fee)
• Each Reading – $7 per reading session

Other notes:

Allergens: We do our best to make our programming a safe and inclusive space, but be advised that there may be allergens present at our facility (like pollen, animal dander, and nuts).

Accessibility