A four-legged friend visits library

Annie the therapy dog paid a visit to the J. Joel Edwards Public Library, Thursday, Jan. 29 as part of the week children's program. She was accompanied by her handler Margie Lenini of Meansville.

Annie and Margie are members of Therapy Dogs International, a volunteer group organized to provide qualified handlers and their therapy dogs for visitation in a variety of facilities and settings.

Annie is a four-year-old Anatolian Shepherd from Turkey, a champion show dog. With TDI she visits hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living centers and children's homes. Her visit to to the library is part of a new service, Children Reading to Dogs.

The program is designed to encourage children to read by demonstrating how much fun it is to read to a patient therapy dog.