Thirty years ago the San Francisco SPCA began its Animal Assisted Therapy Program. At Bryant Elementary School, Puppy Dog Tales brings pupils with reading challenges together with Jake, a golden retriever.

Puppy Dog Tales, a program of the San Francisco SPCA, sends Jake (and his owner, Dr. Susan Katz) to Bryant Elementary School in the Mission.

Jake, who belongs to Dr. Susan Katz, an education professor at the University of San Francisco, is on his way to today’s one-on-one lessons with pupils from second to fourth grade.
The Puppy Dog Tales program encourages the children to read to the dog and helps make reading cool.
Dr. Katz volunteers her time to work with students like Pepe Sanchez, who likes to tell his own stories and whose skills have developed markedly over the year.
Angela Platero works to read and relax in the presence of the dog.
Valentina Nazario brings her own books and clearly enjoys the companionship of the easygoing Jake.
The Animal Assisted Therapy Programs in San Francisco are the longest-running activities of this kind being organized from within an animal welfare organization. Jake heads for home (and treats.)

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