Molly The R.E.A.D. Dog will retire after Aug. 27 program at Southwest Branch Library

Molly The R.E.A.D. Dog will retire after Aug. 27 program at Southwest Branch Library
On Saturday, August 27, following 10 years of faithful service to the children of Escambia County, Molly the R.E..AD. service dog will retire. Molly’s last event for the program, which encourages children to read in a fun, relaxing environment, will be at the Southwest Branch Escambia County Library at 10 a.m. on Aug 27.
Dr. Nora Wilcox has run this program with Molly for the last decade under the sponsorship of the Kiwanis Club of Big Lagoon.
“This program has received national acclaim and we are proud of Molly and Dr. Wilcox for their dedicated service to the children of Escambia County,’’ said Dayre Lias, the Kiwanis Club of Big Lagoon PR Director.
“Molly has loved doing this,’’ said Wilcox, who is also a member of the Kiwanis Club of Big Lagoon. “She is retiring because she is 14, and it is getting too much for her sore arthritic joints. She has also been diagnosed with cancer.’’
In order for Wilcox and Molly to become a R.E.A.D. team, they first had to complete a basic obedience class and sign up for a Delta Therapy Dog class.
“This was a wonderful experience for both of us,’’ Wilcox said. “The class met every Saturday at a local nursing home for six weeks. It was then followed by a comprehensive practical evaluation at a location new to both Molly and me. I was pretty nervous, but Molly did fine and was then qualified as a Delta Registered Pet Partner.’’
Molly and Wilcox then took an additional all day class at a Northwest Florida library, where they received their final training for certification as a R.E.A.D. dog.
They immediately went to work making a positive difference in people’s lives. In the past 10 years as a READ Dog team, they have kept a busy schedule that usually includes a nursing home visit on Thursday afternoons, and once a month programs at local libraries. The duo also makes weekly visits to elementary schools during the school year.
“Children come out of their shell. Kids who never ever would read aloud come alive and love reading to the dogs,’’ Wilcox said. “We have regulars every month. The kids wouldn’t miss it. And they also learn about dogs and what wonderful companions they can be and how to properly act around them. It is a wonderful program for the handler, the dog, and, of course, the children!’’
A flight surgeon for 40 years, Dr. Wilcox received her medical degree from University at Buffalo, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and has been in practice for more than 40 years.
Wilcox first met Molly when the dog was being mistreated by a neighbor who ran a puppy mill in his backyard.
“She lived in the dirt, dug a hole in the middle of the summer to have her puppies and had never been to the vet,’’ Wilcox said. “She had no collar or license and kept digging out of her yard and coming over to my house.
“I had been wanting to get her out of that situation, and the neighbor finally agreed to sell her to me for $350.’’
Wilcox had Molly spayed, de-Flea-ed, de-wormed, immunized and treated for heartworms and quickly saw her dog’s true personality emerge.
“Molly adjusted amazingly quickly. She is a sweetheart,’’ she said.
Wilcox said her participation in the R.E.A.D. program has given her tremendous satisfaction, and mentions one family in particular that made an impression on Molly and vice-versa.
“A few years ago we had one family that came to the library every single month. It was a military family, with three young children. There was one Saturday that I didn’t expect to see them because they were being transferred and heading out to move across the country. But they wanted to come and visit the dogs one more time. That just touched me. They really loved it.
“I was just so torn about retiring Molly. She loves it and I love it,’’ Wilcox added. “But I had to think what was best for Molly.’’