Pets are brought to schools and libraries to help children improve their reading skills. Pets are great listeners!
They don't criticize, so they build self-esteem when children read aloud to them. Pets stimulate interest in reading when books are chosen that are about animals... especially when the characters look a lot like the pets themselves. Reading to pets is rewarding - the children can pet them and give them treats when they've done well.
In this picture, Emily Campbell reads "Five Little Chicks" to Biscuit, a miniature draft horse, at the Radnor Library.