For her 7th birthday party, second-grader Victoria Gore decided to give gifts to the Animal House Shelter rather than to get them for herself.
Why?
“Because I want to make sure the kitties are healthy and have everything they need, including toys to play with,” she explains.
“She’s always loved animals, from little on,” says her mom, Elizabeth. “She has a lot of generous friends and we were surprised at the amount of donations they brought. When we brought the bags in the house, Basil, our cat, tried to break into them to get treats.”
Top: Victoria with Mom and Basil.
Above: “I want to make sure the kitties are healthy,” says Victoria, with shelter dog Sassy and surrounded by donations. (Photos provided)
“He’s a naughty cat!” chimes in Victoria.
Was it hard for her to ask guests to bring gifts for the kitties rather than for her?
“Yep,” she says with an impish grin. “But one of my BFFs, Ava, brought a gift for the animals and a gift for me!”
“We are completely funded by the public, so donations like these mean a lot to the shelter,” says Tabitha Browy, adoption manager. “You can see the joy on the kids’ faces when they see the animals they’re helping.” Since the day it opened its doors in 2002, the shelter has found forever homes for 40,000 cats and dogs, most coming from abused, neglected, or abandoned situations. The majority come from shelters that don’t have a “no-kill” philosophy. Once rehabilitated and given proper medical attention, they’re carefully matched with prospective donors and placed in loving homes.
On a recent visit to the shelter, Victoria headed straight for the cat room.
“They rubbed up against me and wanted me to pet them,” she says. “She was in her element,” adds Elizabeth.
Why does she love cats?
“Because I feel great when I’m around them.”
