Why the long face? The story dog who became an internet sensation

Image by Philip Bump (CC BY-SA 2.0)

For the past several years a therapy greyhound named Sting has been volunteering with the "Paws to Read" program at the White Bear Lake Library in Minnesota, USA.

There, he helps kids aged four to eight feel more comfortable and confident about books and reading, simply by resting alongside them as they read stories to him aloud.

Recently, during one of the library's slower periods, something unthinkable happened – no one showed up for storytime.

Sensing the dog's disappointment, his handler documented the lonesome pup in a series of social media posts, resulting in a worldwide outpouring of support, and guaranteeing a full calendar of readers for the months ahead.

Read the full story, along with heart-warming images at thedodo.com