Cairns Taxis in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Cairns are sponsoring Lulu the STORY DOG.

This is a Literacy Program for All of Australia.

The Mission

To make reading fun for children, so they become confident lifelong readers.  No child should be left behind in literacy.

The Magic!

When children read to a dog, the outcomes are amazing! It is a non-judgemental setting, the children’s focus improves, their literacy skills increase and their confidence soars. The accepting, loving nature of dogs gives this program its magic and helps children relax, open up, try harder and have fun while reading to a friendly, calm dog.

Story Dogs facts – They help over 2200 children each week. There are 440 current volunteer Dog Teams. They partner with 258 schools in NSW, QLD, VIC, TAS, WA, SA and ACT.
They have 280 Dog Teams fully sponsored; this is only 63%.

Learning to read is often less about intellectual limitation than about overcoming fears. “Fear can destroy intelligence,” says educator William Ayers. Animals are ideal reading companions because they promote relaxation and lower blood pressure, do not judge, laugh or criticise and allow children to proceed at their own pace.