Most 11-year-olds spend their free time on screens. Nehemiah Turner spent his reading out loud to shelter dogs, one story at a time, until he made history at his local humane society.
Over the past two years, Nehemiah has volunteered through the Jacksonville Humane Society’s Pawsitive Reading program in Florida, sitting outside kennels and reading books aloud to adoptable pets.
With the support of his grandmother, he recently became the very first child in the program’s history to reach 100 hours of reading to the shelter’s animals.
“It’s soothing, feels good, calm. Comforted animals, not like a whole bunch of barking is happening,” Nehemiah told local outlet Action News Jax, describing why he loves the program so much.
According to a Facebook post from Jacksonville Humane Society, volunteers in Pawsitive Reading earn colored paw print stickers on their name badges as they hit reading milestones, with a sparkly gold paw print reserved as the program’s top honor.
Nehemiah didn’t just earn the sticker, he also received an official certificate verifying his 100 hours, signed in gold ink.
While Nehemiah has read to plenty of animals since joining the program in 2024, dogs hold a special place in his heart. He said he hopes that reading to them helps keep them calm and even helps them get adopted faster.
One of his favorites was a dog named Hopper, who Nehemiah read to during every single visit until Hopper was finally adopted after spending nearly 400 days waiting in the shelter.
Jacksonville Humane Society CEO Lawrence Nicolas praised Nehemiah’s dedication in a statement to PEOPLE. “Nehemiah’s story perfectly embodies our core belief at the Jacksonville Humane Society that generosity breeds joy,” Nicolas said. “In a world where we’ve become increasingly reliant on screens, here is a young man who quietly set a goal to help homeless animals by reading books and, in doing so, has inspired his entire community.”
From soothing anxious shelter pets to helping dogs like Hopper find forever homes, Nehemiah’s quiet dedication is proof that even the smallest acts of kindness can leave a lasting mark.
Would you sign your kids up for a reading program like this one?
Source:
people – “Florida Shelter Celebrates 11-Year-Old Boy for Spending Over 100 Hours Reading to Rescue Pets”