Earlier this month, dozens of children experiencing difficulty in learning how to read got a chance to make reading fun, at a library in Castle Rock, Colorado. The special reading program, called "Bark for Books" brings in specially trained therapy dogs to sit down and listen to a child read a book.

"We're finding that even kids who have trouble reading love to read to a dog," said Aspen Butterfield, a library system spokeswoman, in an interview with The Denver Post. "The kids have a lot of fun, and a dog, unlike a parent or teacher, isn't likely to say, 'You're doing it all wrong; read faster."'

The dogs were provided by a group called "Denver Pet Partners", who is affiliated with The Delta Society, an organization dedicated to helping sick people through the companionship of animals.

Back in November of 1999, the Denver Pet Partners launched a program called "R.E.A.D" (Reading Education Assistance Dogs), where therapy dogs are used to encourage children to read. In the same month, they hosted their first "Dog Day Afternoon" at a Salt Lake City Library with Reading Education Assistance Dogs.

For more about this program, visit the Denver Pet Partners.