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Young readers surprise Bear the therapy dog with birthday party

By Ashley Rader

When someone’s a good listener, it’s nice to do something nice for him.

Especially when he’s a friendly 95-pound Great Pyrenees who happens to be having a birthday.

Therapy dog Bear got a special surprise this week when the young readers at the Elizabethton/Carter County Public Library threw him a birthday party.

Children’s Librarian Ashlee Williams said the readers who attend the Tuesday afternoon Storytime planned the surprise birthday party for Bear, who turned 2 on Saturday. When Bear came to Storytime with his owner and handler Kathy Whitehead to let children read to him, he was greeted with a party.

Bear is a certified pet therapy dog with Therapy Dogs International. Part of his work as a therapy dog is to visit schools, hospitals and nursing homes, along with the library, to visit with students and patients.