Luna, a Bernese Mountain Dog sometimes known as the “Reading Dog” at Great Bend Public Library, is officially retired. The library hosted a retirement party and ice cream social on Thursday, featuring Luna and her trainer, Glenn Schraeder.

Luna never opened a book, but she was always attentive when children read to her. She and Schraeder are members of the Pet Partners Read With Me initiative, part of the Therapy Animal Program. Animals are trained to go on reading visits at libraries, hospitals and nursing homes. Dogs like Luna give affection and comfort in those settings, but they also help children gain confidence in their reading skills.

A woman who attended the farewell party on Thursday said Luna helped her grandchildren emotionally. They missed Luna during the COVID-19 lockdowns and her return was an indication that life was getting back to normal.

Schraeder said he started with Pet Partners in 2018, which means some of the children who read to Luna are now graduating from high school. “Hopefully we had some effect.”

“It was a pretty good beginning,” Schraeder said. After training Luna he approached Great Bend Public Library’s Children’s Librarian, Amy Mayhill. The meeting was serendipitous, as Mayhill said members of the library board had just discussed how to incorporate a canine reading partner into their programming.

Children who read to Luna at the library this year could log their minutes. The top reader won a subscription to National Geographic Kids.