Special Programs

Read to Rover

Read to Rover is an exciting program open to children of all reading levels, geared towards ages 6-11. Reading to animals gives children an opportunity to gain confidence and practice their reading skills while comforting and socializing with shelter animals.

Read to Rover is $20 per 45 minute session. Funds go directly towards treats and toys for the animals.

During the session, readers will work one-on-one in a private meet-and-greet room with their choice of cat or dog to practice their reading skills and have hands-on interactions with the animal. 1 parent/guardian and up to one sibling or friend are allowed to accompany the child during the session (3 people max). All sessions are supervised by an adult staff member or volunteer.

Terms of Participation:

Please sign up at LEAST 24 hours in advance. We cannot accommodate anything outside of the time frames you see listed.
If you are 10+ minutes late to your session, we must reschedule you for another day. No refunds will be given for no-shows.
All participants must read and understand the Read to Rover and FAMD policies, and the parent/guardian must sign the participant waiver.
If Read to Rover or FAMD policies are not followed, or if behavior is disruptive, the reader(s) will be asked to leave and will not be issued a refund.
Please limit yourself to one reader per sign-up slot. Readers must sign up in advance to participate. Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate unregistered readers.

Location: MaryAnn Wright Animal Adoption & Education Center, 16121 Reckinger Dearborn, MI 48126

To view available time slots and to sign up, click here

Doggy Day Out

Sign up to take a shelter dog out for a few hours, the entire day, or even overnight for a slumber party!

Our Doggy Day Out Program, (DDO), is a unique and rewarding opportunity for dog lovers in the community to impact shelter dogs’ lives positively. You can take a dog out of the shelter for a couple of hours, the entire day, or overnight for a slumber party! Typical outings include hiking, shopping, picnics, a treat through the drive-thru, or a movie night at home. These field trips help shelter dogs manage kennel stress, burn off energy, build trust between humans and dogs, and get more exposure to potential adopters. Plus, it’s a great excuse to get out and have fun with a canine sidekick!

Terms of Participation:

You MUST be 18+ years or older to participate or have a parent/guardian with you and have a valid driver’s license.
Offered 7 days a week; however, the opportunities per day will vary due to Friends for Animals schedules and events.
Fill out the form below to participate in our Doggy Day Out Program. A staff member will then review your information and email you the necessary paperwork to complete, a virtual copy of the manual, and a list of dog-friendly places to visit on your outing. *Please include an active and valid email address; this is how staff will contact you.*
Friends for Animals will provide a doggy seatbelt, leash, harness, toy, and water dish, but the participant must provide treats.

Please plan to leave your dog at home and do NOT visit any dog parks or introduce them to other animals, especially other dogs! Our day trips aim to give the dog a break from the shelter and some one-on-one time with humans. Although most of our shelter dogs do well with other dogs and enjoy doggie playtime, we prefer these field trips be geared towards interacting with humans and not with other dogs.

Friends for Animals staff will reserve the right to stop someone’s participation with DDO at any time. This could be due to constant lateness, lack of safety, stressing out staff/dogs, or failure to follow rules. It’s important to remember that these rules are in place to ensure the safety and enjoyment of all participants and should be taken seriously.