Library Shuts Down Reading to Dogs Program Over Pit Bull Prejudice

After being rescued from Michael Vick, Jonny Justice was not only rehabilitated, but he went on to help others — becoming a certified therapy dog and teaching the world about second chances with appearances on national TV and in magazines. But recently, Jonny was denied justice at — of all places — a public library.

As a therapy dog, Jonny participated in Paws for Tales, a reading to dogs program that helps kids improve their reading skills. Jonny and his human partner, Cris Cohen, had been slated to participate in a kids' read-a-thon at the public library in Burlingame, California. But the Burlingame librarian, Patricia Harding, decided to ban pit bulls from the program.

Cohen and Jonny were uninvited from the event, and another pit bull reading team was kicked out of the library's program.

When Cohen pointed out that this violated a California code that prohibits cities from enacting policies and programs that restrict dogs based on breed, city officials conceded that the library couldn't keep its new breed discriminatory policy.

Instead of bringing the pit bulls back, they cancelled the reading program altogether. So much for not judging a book by its cover.

Reading aloud to dogs has been shown to improve children's reading skills by 12 percent. With such a nonjudgmental audience, kids are able to overcome self-consciousness and get the reading practice they need. Teachers also report that reading to dogs improves self-confidence and overall engagement in school.

Last year, the Burlingame Patch reported that the Paws for Tales program was a big hit. The library's children services manager said it "has been well received in the community and a lot of people really love the program." Adults learning English were taking advantage of it, too, as well as people with a fear of dogs who found the library to be a safe environment to overcome their phobia.

Volunteer Services Manager Brian Probst of the Peninsula Humane Society and SPCA, which oversees Paws for Tales, told the Burlingame Patch, "Programs like this, along with our outreach, education and behavior training, are programs that make us distinctly a humane society."

Unfortunately, when Cohen protested the breed discrimination, the humane society chose not to back him up by pulling the program from Burlingame. The organization asked the library to reconsider its breed ban, but Harding stood by her position that she didn't want pit bulls around. Peninsula Humane Society's Scott Delucchi told author and reporter Jim Gorant, "We were disappointed, but thought, 'If we pull the program who loses? The kids.' So we decided to continue."

Well, the kids lost out anyway. And so did the community, who has now received the message from its library, its city council and its humane society that breed discrimination is okay, even if it's illegal.

Donna Reynolds, executive director and co-founder of the pit bull rescue organization BAD RAP (which took in several of the Vick dogs, including Jonny Justice) said, "Jonny has overcome so much in his short life and is uniquely qualified to help children move beyond their own obstacles. Who knew that one of his biggest hurdles would be finding acceptance in a place of learning? We expect more from librarians and look forward to a happy resolution so kids in Burlingame can learn that stereotypes and intolerance have no place in a humane, compassionate society."

Cohen and Jonny have moved on, but Burlingame would be lucky to get a team like them that embodies lessons about prejudice and resilience.

Tell Burlingame Public Library to reinstate the reading to dogs program, welcoming all breeds.

Photo of Cris Cohen and Jonny Justice, courtesy of BAD RAP