RSPCA appeals for volunteers to read stories to abandoned dogs

A Nottingham animal shelter is appealing for volunteers to read stories to its dogs. The RSPCA's Radcliffe-on-Trent shelter is launching a Read And Relax scheme, designed to help dogs in its kennels get used to human contact.

Ella Herring, the shelter's assistant manager, said: "We are constantly looking at ways of enriching the dogs' environment.

"This will teach them to be calm in the presence of people. That way when visitors come in the dogs are less reactive, they see people as a good thing, and when they get re-homed they will be used to being calm and just laying down on the floor. We want them to get used to being in the presence of people without demanding attention."



People can read what they like to the dogs "within reason".

"Some people might feel uncomfortable reading big novels to dogs, so they might prefer a story book, but they can really read whatever they like," said Mrs Herring.

Volunteers must be aged 18 and over and be comfortable around dogs. They will spend around 20 to 30 minutes reading books of their choice aloud to individual dogs in kennels. It is not believed any other UK kennels have a scheme like Radcliffe's in place.