Pet dogs on Sunday were permitted into the Kaohsiung Public Library for the first time, marking what the organizers called an important step toward a more animal-friendly society.
Illustrator Lee Chin-lun (李瑾倫), known for her depictions of and advocacy for animals, and others collectively brought 14 dogs to a lecture, where they discussed their experiences raising pets as members of the family.
Attendees said that the lecture felt like a family reunion or therapy.
Photo: Huang Hsu-lei, Taipei Times
Since 2016, the Mitaka City Library in Tokyo has offered reading therapy dogs, a service inspired by efforts in the US, Kaohsiung Public Library director Lin Yi-cheng (林奕成) said.
The program is designed to help children who find it difficult to speak or read directly to others by training dogs to listen while they read out loud, Lin said.
It has since expanded to several libraries across Japan, he said.
People in Taiwan are looking for connection and therapeutic outlets, especially in the four months since COVID-19 alerts began, Lee said, adding that picture books are a way to elevate feelings of companionship between people and animals.
It was the first time pets were allowed into the Kaohsiung library, offering readers a novel experience and representing an important step toward realizing a society more friendly to animals, Lin said.
However, the library said that it does not mark a change in policy, as animals are generally still not allowed in the building.
An attendee also surnamed Lee (李) said that they were thrilled to bring their dog into a library.
Hearing Lee Chin-lun speak helped them better understand the deep connection between dogs and humans, they said, adding that hopefully the library would admit dogs again.
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