The Dog With a Library Card By Allie Werhan

Can you Imagine that? Toby the therapy dog, is the only dog in Prescott with his own library card. Toby is a four-year-old black and white Border collie and a Certified therapy dog from Therapy Dogs International. With all the extensive training he has been through, he is very polite, well-behaved, and friendly to the public.

“Toby loves books,” says his handler, Library Director Toni Kaus, who brings him in the first Friday of every month to the library to listen to his favorite stories being read to him by his favorite people…children. He sits quietly, his ears
flicking as the child’s voice rises and falls with the inflection of the words, and wags his tail slowly in response to being petted.

Toby is part of a reading program for children ages 5-10 at the Prescott Public Library. “Paws to Read” is held in the James Room in the Children’s Section of the library, on the first Friday of every month. Children can sign up to read to Toby at the Youth Services Desk with Librarian Martha Baden, for 10-15 minutes of one-on-one reading time with Toby. Sometimes, one of Toby’s friends, Hunter or Storm, also Therapy Dogs, will join him and listen to readers with him. After they read, kids get a certificate about their visit.

Most dogs can’t get a library card, but Toby has a photo identification, and since he is part of the “Paws to Read” program, he got his own card “to remind kids what a great resource a library card can be.” He also wears his own special neckerchief.

Naturally, children like to read stories to Toby about cats. One of Toby’s favorite stories though is about a pigeon who wants to get a puppy. He also enjoys stories read by little boys who wipe their hands on their pants, leaving interesting smells. Books about a mouse and a shark are also among Toby’s favorites.

The kids who read to Toby are learning to love reading. With Toby, they have a non-critical listener who enjoys their company. He gets lots of love and petting, and at the end of each session, Toni gives him a little treat. Often Toby gets up from his comfy cushion to greet children he recognizes from previous visits. Being a library reading assistance dog is a great job! For more information about “Paws to Read,” contact the Youth Services desk at 777-1537.