Thursday, October 1, 2026
A small rescue puppy and a children’s book about caring for these animals helped teach more than a dozen kids big lessons about kindness at the Long Island Children’s Museum in Uniondale.
The Jan. 16 visit was part of the museum’s partnership with North Shore Animal League America’s Mutt-i-grees education team, which uses animals and books to teach children empathy, responsibility and kindness. During the program, children listened to a read-aloud, met the rescue pup, and created “paw-pledge” badges promising to treat animals with care.
“Today, we’re going to read a story about a dog named Max — and meet a real rescue dog, too,” Kacey Maher, an educator with the Mutt-i-grees curriculum, said as she cradled a squirming and whining, 3-month-old lab mix. “He’s not scared. He just really wants to play.”
The story, “Max Talks to Me” by author Claire Buchwald and illustrator Karen Ritz, follows a boy and his dog as they communicate without words. As Maher turned the pages, children chimed in with how dogs express feelings — tail wags, cuddles, sniffing on walks, or curling up when their humans are sad.
“He’s just like Max,” Maher said of the lab mix pup, which didn’t yet have a name, only an adoption number.
“His forever family gets to name him — that’s a big bonding moment,” Maher added.
Some children at the museum suggested names like Blacky, because of his dark fur, and Cooper from Maher’s previous visits, while others drew inspiration from dogs they knew at home or in their neighborhoods.
James Vouvoudakis, who attended with his mother and younger brother, Michael, said his favorite part of the story was when Max barked at people approaching the house. That small moment stuck with James because it reminded him of stories his mother told about her childhood German shepherd, which stood at the front door to protect the home.
When asked about what kindness to dogs means to him, James said, “They make me happy.”
While James and Michael worked on their paw pledges, they promised to pet and play gently.
“All of our books are based on a social-emotional learning curriculum developed with Yale,” Maher said. “It’s about showing the bond between people and animals and introducing kids to what animals might be feeling.”
The lab mix pup, which was rescued from Arkansas, was transported hundreds of miles north on one of the organization’s mobile rescue units before arriving on Long Island, on Jan. 13. From there, he was examined by veterinarians, groomed and prepared for adoption — a process North Shore staff explained to families during the story time program. The staff said the lab most likely would be adopted in the coming week.
Maher explained that animals transported to North Shore are always evaluated for temperament. Kennel managers handle and observe each animal to ensure it can tolerate noise, movement and gentle contact from children.
“We ruffle their fur, see how they react, and make sure they’re comfortable meeting new people,” Maher said. “If an animal seems overwhelmed, we step back. The shelter always chooses animals with the right temperament for visits like this.”
The story emphasized attending to animals’ needs — food, water, playtime, and gentle handling — lessons Maher reinforced by connecting them to the puppy in her arms, which whined softly as he tried to wiggle free.
The puppy’s calm behavior, despite his energy, made him a good fit for the museum crowd. “He’s really laid back. He just wants attention,” Maher said.
After story time, children moved to tables to color heart-shaped paw pledges, writing promises such as “I pledge to pet gently” and “I pledge to play with animals.” Many planned to tape them to their pets’ beds or give them to neighbors with dogs.
Programs like these, the museum’s educators said, help children connect emotionally to broader ideas, including responsibility and compassion. The museum already features animal-care exhibits, and the partnership with North Shore expands that learning through live experiences.
“Kids and animals really go hand-in-hand,” Maher said. “It’s a very natural connection.”
The partnership between the children’s museum and North Shore began in 2024 and now includes recurring story times, school group visits and larger family events. Later this year, North Shore plans to bring its mobile adoption unit back for a family social event, offering visitors more hands-on experiences with rescue work and animal care.
As the program wrapped up, Maher placed the puppy on the ground and he ran and jumped around, sniffing the new environment and exploring the room he was in the entire time.
For the children, the lesson was simple: listening, kindness and care are what turn pets into friends — even before they are given a name.
