Chambers Goes to the Dogs

For a couple hours Tuesday night, folks strolling along Main Street found it impossible to resist stopping and saying hello to a brown spaniel dog named Roxy, who was hanging out in front of Chambers with her owner, Riley Smith.

As Roxy charmed the foot traffic, inside her other owner, Diane Smith, was getting a crash course in mixology as the guest bartender at Chambers. Smith spent the night slinging drinks as part of a fundraiser to benefit her organization, Roxy Reading Therapy Dogs.

"We are a completely volunteer non-profit," said Smith. "We don't have one paid staffperson, but we do have other expenses."

Tuesday's benefit also served as a warmup for the big day next weekend. On May 4, Main Street will be inundated with canines as the Strut Your Mutt parade makes its way through town.

Led by Doylestown’s own antique 1923 Ahrens-Fox fire truck, Clifford the Big Red Dog and local scout troops, participants and their dogs will parade from the park to Puck Restaurant, where judging, prizes and festivities will top off the parade.

Planned in conjunction with the Doylestown Merchant’s Association, dogs will be allowed to shop with their owners in town for one day only. Participating merchants and restaurants will also offer Kentucky Derby-themed specials, with a portion of sales to be donated back to the Roxy Reading Therapy Dog program.

One of the celebrity judges will be Central Bucks School District Superintendent Dr. Rodney Green, highlighting the important services Roxy and her fellow therapy dogs provide to the public schools.

“These volunteers have been promoting literacy in our elementary schools at no charge, on a weekly basis, for the past seven years," said Dr. Green in a statement. "We’d like to see this valuable resource continue to benefit our children, and they need community donations to reach that goal. I’m happy to help.”

Smith has a roster of 60 certified therapy dog/owner teams that are available to go into elementary classrooms in the Central Bucks School District and sit with students as a comfort while they read. All kinds of breeds are ready to help out, from chihuahuas to greyhounds and golden retrievers.

"Some of the kids read to the dogs, some just like to snuggle up against one," said Smith. "We also build relationships with disabled children, some who are non-responsive and need that tactile interaction."

The services don't end in the classroom. Two years ago, Smith started a new program in the Bucks County Courthouse that brought the dogs in to comfort children in Dependency Court facing impossible circumstances.

"The dogs stand next to the children in court while they talk to the judges," said Smith. "They also sit with the kids in a safe room in the district attorney's office."

In many cases, Smith says, many children that enter the courtroom don't get to return home. Instead, they directly enter the foster system, with only the things they brought with them to court. Smith likes to give each child one stuffed dog to take with them wherever they go, but supplies run out quickly. The fundraisers go a long way toward helping Roxy Reading Therapy Dogs keep its supplies up-to-date.

Participants in the Strut Your Mutt parade are not required to walk a dog or to wear a hat. Registration is $15 for children, $20 for adults, and $100 for a team of up to 10 participants. For additional information or to register, visit www.RoxyReading.org. You must register online now for a free event tee shirt.