Some lucky students at Frank P. Long Intermediate School in Bellport look forward to regular visits from a special, four-legged pal.
But the students don’t merely pet and squeeze their class dog, Malibu.
They read stories to him.
Malibu’s twice-monthly visits to South Country come courtesy of the Patchogue Rotary Animal Assisted Therapy program, through which the students gain confidence in their spoken/reading voices.
Not only that, Malibu seems to enjoy the visits too, the teachers say.
The Rotary’s specially trained dogs also visit:
- Nursing homes
- Adult homes
- Hospitals
- Handicapped facilities
- Psychiatric wards
- Pediatric wards
- Rehabilitation centers
- Camp Paquatuck (Rotary summer camp for handicapped children)
Some related reading from The Washington Post: Children read aloud to dogs
Photo: Frank P. Long student Daniel Hawkins reads aloud to Malibu. (courtesy photo)
