10-Year-Old Boy Reads To Scared Shelter Dogs Every Weekend

Evan is a 10-year-old boy from the Bronx in New York. This kind-hearted child spends his weekends reading books to shelter dogs at the Animal Care Centers (ACC) of NYC.

Shelters can be very scary places for dogs, and unfortunately, there are many wonderful dogs who get passed over for adoption because potential adopters can’t see their true personalities.

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Repost from @mishap212 • “Are these dogs good with kids?” he said. “I’m not sure we know yet,” I said. “It doesn’t matter,” he said. “It doesn’t? How come?” “That’s what I’m here for.” “That’s what you’re here for.” 📚 Evan is reading to 9 year-old Sam who, yes, has previously lived well with children. Sam has been with the shelter a number of times and would be more than appreciative of a stable home all his own, one without other pups, with lots of love, and the possibility of a bedtime story every night. As for Evan, by now you surely know of the incredible work he’s doing providing special enrichment to the @nycacc animals. I was nothing short of star struck in meeting him yesterday, and will be profiling this special person, his very special mother, and their work more in the weeks to come. Until then please follow them at @eb_and_the_pets. And Sam #11250 is waiting in adoptions at Manhattan ACC. 💌 adopt@nycacc.org

A post shared by Evan B (@eb_and_the_pets) on Jan 21, 2020 at 6:55am PST

Shelters are always on the lookout for ways of getting dogs to relax and to help ease their stress – and it would seem that kids reading to them really does the trick. There are reading programs out there designed to have children visit shelters in order to help anxious dogs relax by being read to. Not to mention, there are countless benefits for both shelter dogs and children.

Evan was one of these children who began as a reader to dogs after his mom found a stray dog in the street and brought it to the shelter. Evan is now a junior volunteer in the shelter’s Books for Boroughbreds program. He loves helping the dogs relax by reading to them, and with the help of his mom, has even started an Instagram account to feature the adorable dogs.

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#thoughts … A #volunteer is someone who freely offers to undertake a task. In this case it is #reading to #shelter #dogs and #animals. WHAT EXACTLY DOES THIS DO? Keep in mind, alot of these pets were either #abandoned #abused or just #lost and they are finding it hard everyday to wiggle their way back into a #positive environment filled with all the #love and #attention they could ever hope for. The simple act of having a child #read to a shelter animal will have the following effects: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ – it creates a postive experience for them with someone that genuinely cares which may lead to a rebuilding of their trust in #humans -it provides them with a sense of #companionship and #comfort and the possible side effect of this is a reduction in #stress and #anxiety -this is all built on a very unique #bonding experience that will hopefully #socialize them and allow them to find their #furever homes Featured here is my boy, Romeo, currently in foster but still adoptable id#68984 @nycacc #boroughbreds #nycacc #givingtuesdaykids ❤️

A post shared by Evan B (@eb_and_the_pets) on Nov 5, 2019 at 7:38am PST

Not long ago, Evan posted about a dog named Guero, who is waiting for a loving, forever home. Guero is described as, “gentle, soft and an all-around equal opportunist lover who simply loves to freely give love to everyone- hoomans, dogs and cats – and let’s face it the world could do with more of that!”

A video of Evan reading to Guero was uploaded with the caption, “One can easily be drawn to this tender soul by his always upstanding- one perked ear – it’s part floppy part elf- but it’s ever-so inviting! It’s his way of letting you know he’s always there to hear you out- lending a listening ear if you will!”

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One can easily be drawn to this tender soul by his always upstanding- one perked ear – it’s part floppy part elf- but it’s ever-so inviting! It’s his way of letting you know he’s always there to hear you out- lending a listening ear if you will! Guero is a gentle, soft and an all around equal opportunist lover who simply loves to freely give love to everyone- hoomans, dogs and cats – and let’s face it the world could do with more of that! Paws up to your new bestie you didn’t even know could exist in such perfection! 🐾 Adopt/Foster/Share Guero #83843 @nycacc – unleash this furever kind of love 🐶

A post shared by Evan B (@eb_and_the_pets) on Jan 14, 2020 at 6:19am PST

This wonderful kid has said that his reward is being able to see the stressed dogs relax – with a few even falling asleep. He explained to BuzzFeed, “All dogs are good — they’re just scared and they need love and they just need to know someone is on their side. I am happy to be their friend and I can tell it means a lot to them just by the way they react to me.”

Evan has plans to continue volunteering long-term – hoping someday to be able to help walk the dogs at the shelter. This kind-hearted boy even hopes to one day be able to adopt a dog of his own and says that by then he hopes, “New York will be a no-kill state.”

Don’t ever change Evan! Keep it up!