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Cat in the Hat visits The College School
4:32 p.m., Feb. 9, 2007-- For almost two years, UD College School students have been reading to Luke the cat, his buddy Radar the greyhound and Yorkshire terrier Tyson. But, on Thursday, Feb. 8, Dr. Seuss's Cat in the Hat returned the favor. It's the 50th anniversary of the publication of Theodor Seuss Geisel's Cat in the Hat, and PAWS for People, a pet-assisted therapy organization, is sending board member Rich Phillips, dressed as the Cat in the Hat, to local organizations to encourage reading. PAWS for People, a nonprofit volunteer organization that brings affectionate pets to visit elders, children and adults with disabilities, has been bringing dogs and a cat to The College School for almost two years.
The College School serves students in grades 1-8 who demonstrate learning, attention, mild social or mild behavioral issues with the goal of returning them to a mainstream educational environment. Phillips was joined by PAWS College School regulars Gail Rys, assistant professor and director of UD's School of Education and PAWS for People board member, and Bethany Kazaba, a PAWS volunteer. Rys and Kazaba are the PAWS members who have been bringing Luke, Radar and Tyson to the school. On their visits, the kids get in a lot of petting time, but then, the children read or teach lessons to the dogs and cat. Rys said it's especially important for Luke to interact with the children, because despite the fact that he is an amputee, he gets around as though he had no disability at all. Rys adopted Luke as a 3-month-old kitten. He was found enmeshed in barbed wire with a gangrenous wound in his leg that required the right-rear leg to be amputated to the hip joint. Rys sister was working for the veterinarian who treated the kitten. Radar is a retired racing greyhound that Rys adopted from a greyhound rescue group.
As Phillips read to them, the children asked questions and responded with phrases from the book. At one point, the Cat in the Hat remarked that he was impressed with how well they were paying attention. Marty McDonough, College School assistant director, said the children's interactions with the animals seems to draw them out. McDonough said she is impressed with how the dogs “tend to gravitate to kids that are having emotional problems.” More than once, she said, she's seen dogs come into the room and remain with an unhappy child never leaving that child's side. Article by Barbara Garrison
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