Kids enjoy therapy dogs at Gulf Gate Library

By Ian Swaby
| 5:00 a.m. October 16, 2025

Lois Saupe of the Humane Society of Sarasota County, who handled Sirius, meets Avery Peterson, 7.

Sarasota
Neighbors

Bob Hulvat, a volunteer with Bright & Beautiful Therapy Dogs, has a job that he calls "very important."

It is evaluating the organization's therapy dogs to make sure they don't jump and they settle down, making them comforting to people, including kids.

He has been doing the job for 10 years, about the same amount of time he has been coming to Read with the Dogs at Gulf Gate Library.

Last month, Hulvat was present again as a small handful of kids turned out to enjoy, cuddle, and read to three dogs, including two dogs from the Humane Society of Sarasota County.

"It just relaxes people," Hulvat said. "And you get a dog like this, it's not going to jump on you, it's not going to be a pest. The kids love the dogs."

"It's probably my favorite hour all week, because I love to see the kids enjoying the dogs," said Lois Saupe, a volunteer with the humane society.

Ava Cameron, 11, and her sister Zoey Cameron, 11, and father Sean Cameron spend time with Scrabble, who was handled by Bob Hulvat of Bright & Beautiful Therapy Dogs.

Dave Kreiseder holds Shadow, who was handled by Bil Saupe of the Humane Society of Sarasota County.

Violet Quick, 8, and Tarah Kreiseder, 8, pet Scrabble.

Ava Cameron, 11, and her sister Zoey Cameron, 11, read with Scrabble.

Violet Quick, 8, reads a book to Scrabble.

Violet Quick, 8, and Tarah Kreiseder, 8, meet Scrabble, who was handled by Bob Hulvat of Bright & Beautiful Therapy Dogs.

Quinn Peterson, 4, works on a coloring project while her sister Avery Peterson, 7, pets the dogs.

author

Ian Swaby

Ian Swaby is the Sarasota neighbors writer for the Observer. Ian is a Florida State University graduate of Editing, Writing, and Media and previously worked in the publishing industry in the Cayman Islands.