The City of Fort Worth is adding a splash of color to its public service efforts, garnering a state award in the process. The Fort Worth Animal Care & Control (FWACC) recently snapped up a first-place trophy at the 2025 Texas Association of Municipal Information Officers awards. Their winning entry, a coloring book titled "Adventures with Animal Friends," aimed to gently instill lessons of responsible pet ownership in the minds of youngsters.
Since its release, the coloring book has been an unexpected hit, quickly becoming more than just colorful pages for kids to scribble on. Over 5,000 children have learned the dos and don'ts of animal care through this initiative, with 20,000 copies distributed across schools, libraries, and events. Each copy comes thoughtfully bundled with crayons to fully draw kids into an interactive learning experience. Jeff Jones, Field Supervisor and the book's creator, took a seemingly simple idea and turned it into an educational tool with substantial reach.
FWACC is determined not to let this moment be a mere successful footnote in their history. They've decided to truly leverage this momentum by launching the "P.A.W.S. and Think" program, an educational outreach campaign with aspirations of teaching school-goers the virtues and duties that come with pet companionship. "Supervisor Jones’ idea has made a real difference," FWACC Assistant Director Chris McAllister remarked, per the City of Fort Worth, underscoring the significance of contributions from every team layer.
Alison Rich, a Communications Specialist, and Graphic Artist Jason MacGregor were the forces behind the content and appeal of the book, respectively. Their work ensures that the message isn't merely heard but visually grasped and remembered. McAllister believes that by reaching children early, FWACC is planting seeds that will eventually blossom into compassionate, responsible pet owners in the long run—a small investment now for significant returns in the future.
