Stopping violence one class at a time, that's what the Maryland SPCA and Relove Animals Inc. are working to do by bringing in pets to Baltimore schools.
Knox, Noah and Lucy travel to 150 classes in Baltimore and surrounding counties, teaching compassion and giving kids confidence to read.
Katy Flory, Communications Director for the Marlyand SPCA, said at every school kids constantly poke their head in to catch a glimpse or pet the pups.
Tuesday a second grade class at Westport Academy filed in quietly, on their best behavior so they could play with the two Pit Bulls and the Chihuahua.
The founder of Relove, Julianne Zimmer, stood watching, thinking about her own adopted pup, Jericho.
"Jericho was set on fire, he was probably running the streets for about a week or so before animal control picked him up," Zimmer has told this story dozens of times since the adoption in 2011.
This is the story that started her mission.
Zimmer's heart ached when she met Jericho. At first she was scared at the thought of adopting him, thinking Pit Bulls are cruel, but the painful scar on his back shows who truly is.
That realization made her want to teach others.
"We can get into our schools teach our youth about being kind not only to animals but to each other," Flory said.
In the library, the kids practice reading to the dogs. They sound out words they don't know, and build confidence.
"Some of the kids don't want to even touch a book, but with an animal they're so excited about it," Westport Librarian Doctor Sharon Smith said.
While reading, many students pet and interact with the dogs.
"They have feelings just like we do," a second grade girl said.
They enjoy reading to the dogs as well.
"I think it's awesome reading to Lucy because she listens to us," she said.
"I like reading to Knox, because he's a bigger bigger dog and I think he understand what I'm saying," a Second grade boy said.
Once they've excelled with these pups, the kids go to the Maryland SPCA to give those furry friends some needed attenion.
Their goal is to implement this lesson in every aspect of the children's lives.
"There's a direct link between human violence and animal violence," Zimmer said.
Zimmer may never find out who hurt Jericho, but she's made it her mission to ensure no one else gets away with this cruelty.
"I feel like the justice comes through in the education of stopping this on a more permanent level," Zimmer said.
The Humane Education Program is funded through the Weinberg Foundation. MD SPCA and Relove hope to expand the program to more schools in the future.
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