In an affectionate twist of fate, a pair of canine siblings have found their permanent guardian in Booker T. Thomas, the District Director for Councilmember Charlie Lauersdorf, and a Marine Corps reservist with a heart for animal welfare. According to the City of Fort Worth, Thomas was browsing Facebook when he discovered a post from Fort Worth Animal Care & Control about a litter of puppies in urgent need of fostering. His immediate reaction was to volunteer, a decision that led him and his wife, Sara, to care for not one, but two shepherd mix puppies, Athena and Grench.
A seasoned veteran when it comes to caring for animals, Thomas was raised in a home filled with love, both for humans and for their four-legged counterparts, “Growing up, we always had dogs and we always had big dogs, like pit bulls and Rottweilers,” Thomas recounted, his admiration for larger breeds stemming from his father’s preferences. His familial connection to these gentle giants influenced his decision to take in the pair of puppies, born April 8 at the Silcox Shelter, their eyes and ears still shut to the world when they first settled into Thomas's home. “We bottle-fed them every two hours for about three weeks,” Thomas recalled as per the City of Fort Worth.
The temporary foster situation quickened into a permanent bond. Thomas and his wife were initially just planning to provide temporary care, but the couple couldn’t resist the pups' charm. “But they were so cute and so cool. And when they opened their eyes and saw me it was as if they said, ‘Look, there’s Dad right there!’ After that I was like, they’re mine” Thomas told the City of Fort Worth. Fostering turned to adopting after the puppies' spaying and neutering on July 18. It wasn't just a new chapter for the pups; it also served as a bonding experience for Thomas's newly blended family, including their stepdaughter, Camila, who shares a bond with their new siblings.
