A literacy program brings a special reading audience to branches throughout the Orange County Public Library system.
On the first Wednesday of the month, it’s Sophie, a golden retriever; Alfie, a whippet; and Lido, a rough collie; visiting the Ladera Ranch branch for the popular Read to a Dog event, where elementary school-aged kids get the chance to read children’s books and give some love to the three therapy dogs from Orange County Animal Allies.
Kids read children’s books and give love to Alfie, a Whippet, and one of the dogs from Orange County Animal Allies’ monthly Read to a Dog event, while volunteer Lisa Turney looks on, at the Ladera Ranch Library on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Olivia, 10, of Ladera Ranch, a third grader, pets Alfie, a Whippet, and one of the dogs from Orange County Animal Allies’ monthly Read to a Dog event, as she reads a children’s book to him, while volunteer Lisa Turney looks on, at the Ladera Ranch Library on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Allexa Bent of Rancho Mission Viejo holds her daughter, Georgia Bent, 2, as they read to Lido, a Rough Collie, and one of the dogs from Orange County Animal Allies’ monthly Read to a Dog event, at the Ladera Ranch Library on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Kids read children’s books and give love to Alfie, a Whippet, and one of the dogs from Orange County Animal Allies’ monthly Read to a Dog event, part of the Helping Kids Canine Literacy Program, while volunteer Lisa Turney looks on, at the Ladera Ranch Library on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Chloe, 10, of Ladera Ranch, a third grader, pets Lido, a Rough Collie, and one of the dogs from Orange County Animal Allies’ monthly Read to a Dog event, as she reads a children’s book to him at the Ladera Ranch Library on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Chloe, 10, of Ladera Ranch, a third grader, reads to Lido, a Rough Collie, and one of the dogs from Orange County Animal Allies’ monthly Read to a Dog event, while volunteer Yvonne Perez looks on, at the Ladera Ranch Library on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Chloe, 10, of Ladera Ranch, a third grader, pets Lido, a Rough Collie, and one of the dogs from Orange County Animal Allies’ monthly Read to a Dog event, as she reads a children’s book to him at the Ladera Ranch Library on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Kids read children’s books and give love to Alfie, a Whippet, and one of the dogs from Orange County Animal Allies’ monthly Read to a Dog event, while volunteer Lisa Turney looks on, at the Ladera Ranch Library on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Kids read children’s books and give love to Sophie, a Golden Retriever, and one of the dogs from Orange County Animal Allies’ monthly Read to a Dog event, while volunteer Chris Gallagher looks on, at the Ladera Ranch Library on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Kids read to three dogs from Orange County Animal Allies’ monthly Read to a Dog event, part of the Helping Kids Canine Literacy Program, at the Ladera Ranch Library on June 3, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Logan Kalscheuer, 9, right, of Ladera Ranch, reads a children’s book to Sophie, one of the dogs from Orange County Animal Allies’ monthly Read to a Dog event, while his friend and classmate, Chloe, 10, hugs the Golden Retriever at the Ladera Ranch Library on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Logan Kalscheuer, 9, of Ladera Ranch, reads a children’s book to Sophie, a Golden Retriever, and one of the dogs from Orange County Animal Allies’ monthly Read to a Dog event, part of the Helping Kids Canine Literacy Program, at the Ladera Ranch Library on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Piper, 10, of Ladera Ranch turns a page as she reads to Sophie, a Golden Retriever, and one of the dogs from Orange County Animal Allies’ monthly Read to a Dog event, while volunteer Chris Gallagher, left, looks on, at the Ladera Ranch Library on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Kids read children’s books and give love to Alfie, a Whippet, and one of the dogs from Orange County Animal Allies’ monthly Read to a Dog event, while volunteer Lisa Turney looks on, at the Ladera Ranch Library on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The recurring event, part of the OC Animal Allies’ Helping Kids Canine Literacy Program, aims to provide children with a safe space to practice reading while interacting with the calm and attentive pups.
The event is “a great opportunity to get kids out here reading to dogs because there is no judgment or criticism, and they can just relax and read, and it helps them build confidence,” said Chris Gallagher, one of the organization’s volunteers, as children and dogs snuggled on the library floor between the stacks reading.
And that’s the goal of the OC Animal Allies program, “to help reduce the anxiety students feel when reading aloud, improve reading fluency and reading comprehension skills, build self-esteem and confidence, and to simply make reading fun,” the organization says on its website.
Volunteer Yvonne Perez said of the “canine listeners,” as the organization calls them, “This is their happy space — we get to introduce kids to happy therapy dogs who provide nothing but unconditional love and a nonjudgmental ear while the kids get to practice reading to them.”
The program provides visits to schools and organizations as well as several public libraries — participating Orange County Public Library branches in include Ladera Ranch, Rancho Santa Margarita, Foothill Ranch, Lake Forest, Aliso Viejo, Fountain Valley, Laguna Beach, Garden Grove, Westminster, Costa Mesa, La Palma and Irvine.
The events are free to the public, and reservations are required at some, but not all, of the locations.
