An island photographer’s best friend gives time to students.

When things get scary, there’s nothing better than having a pal by your side – someone who’s patient, understanding and happy to lick your fears away.

Second-graders at St. Cecilia Catholic Church School have two furry friends to lean on as they learn to read, thanks to Karyn Carpenter.

The island photographer hatched a plan to bring certified therapy dogs and their owners into the school to help students become more confident with books.

“This is geared to children who don’t like to read,” Carpenter said. “They read silently as a group first and then each child has 15 minutes to read aloud to a dog.”

She hit upon the idea after she spent time photographing the students.

“I contacted St. Cecilia’s and in conversation with the principal, I brought it up,” said Carpenter. “It’s a way to be with my dog and try to help people at the same time.”

She and her dog, Arayo – a 19-month-old furry Newfoundland with an abundance of patience and affection – are certified through Therapy Dogs International.

They began visiting St. Cecilia two weeks ago. The classes are small and the principal and teachers are pleased with the results – so much so, that the unnamed program will expand to include first-graders in January.

This is an all-volunteer effort, so the school doesn’t pay anything. So far, Carpenter has two volunteers and their dogs available during the week, but she’s hoping more will come on board. Word is getting out about her efforts, which she is advertising via posters around town.

Carpenter’s motive is pure: She wants to spread cheer through dogs.

“I take my dog everywhere I go. I used to commute to my studio in downtown Seattle. People would walk by in a bad mood and when they saw her, their whole demeanor would change,” Carpenter said. “I’d come out of my darkroom and strangers would be laying in the middle of my waiting room, just hugging my dog.”

Carpenter’s long-range goal is to bring dogs into area hospitals and nursing homes, as well as more schools.

First, she needs islanders to sign up and become certified, with their dogs, under the auspices of Therapy Dogs International, a New Jersey-based volunteer group founded in 1976. The certification that the animals and owners receive “lets facilities know the dogs are stable and have liability coverage, just in case,” Carpenter said.

A $35 registration fee covers one handler and one dog. Teens are welcome to join; however, they must be accompanied by an adult at every visit.

Carpenter plans to bring together potential volunteers and their dogs the weekend of Jan. 7 and 8. Afterward, she will schedule the certification class. The cost should be in the $10- to $15-range.

The dogs should be “non-dog and non-people aggressive,” she said, and any size and breed are welcome.

“(A dog’s) temperament is a big deal and most people know how much they can trust their dog in given situations,” Carpenter said. “It is important that the owners be respectful and follow the guidelines set forth by (Therapy Dogs International).”

An assortment of sizes is nice, she added, because some people are drawn to larger dogs, while others prefer a small breed to hold on their lap.

“We are not going to push ourselves on anyone,” she said. “I’m more than aware that some people have a fear or dislike of dogs and we must respect that.”

When Carpenter gets her group together, she will contact a certified TDI evaluator who lives in Sequim to administer the certification test.

“It’s a fairly quick process,” she said, adding it can be done in a day. “He has a series of things he has the owners and dogs do together, such as walking nicely on a leash, putting them through an exercise as they come in contact with people in wheelchairs and walkers, yelling – a lot of exposure to a confusing environment.”

Therapy dogs have proven to provide comfort and companionship in hospitals, nursing homes and other institutions. They offer a calming influence for patients receiving chemotherapy, provide incentive for people who are undergoing physical therapy after suffering a stroke and brighten the day for residents of nursing homes. Additionally, visiting dogs can help lower patients’ blood pressure and ease depression.

Carpenter and Arayo completed a weeklong crisis response training session just before Hurricane Katrina hit. Possibly one day, Carpenter said, they could work with the American Red Cross and the local fire department.

“Arayo was asked to go to Houston after Katrina, but we couldn’t clear our schedules to go,” Carpenter said.

“Dogs worked with children in the refugee centers. Workers said it was the first time they saw kids smile in the two weeks they were there.”

Carpenter is finding out about working with Harrison Hospital and Kitsap Mental Health Services and going into nursing homes. She’s also open to expanding into public schools. In the meantime, the Kitsap library system has agreed to host a month-long trial of her program at the Bainbridge public library in February.

“I want to get people together, outline some of the options and see where their interests lie,” she said. “(The program) is going to self-direct.”

For more details call Karyn Carpenter at 780-2214.