A group of Texas Christian University students recently made the holiday season a little brighter for the dogs waiting for homes at Fort Worth’s Silcox Animal Shelter. These Delta Gamma sorority sisters from TCU gathered over 30 pounds of dog treats, along with a dozen cans of pet food, toys, blankets, and more. They arrived at the shelter in a Mini Cooper packed full of such donations, presented to the excited paws and wagging tails of the shelter inhabitants.
"It’s the best, there’s no better way to help," senior Gaby Dorta, one of the sorority sisters, told Fort Worth City News as her car, stuffed with goodwill, pulled into the shelter lot. Dorta, along with her friends at TCU, frequently volunteers at Fort Worth Animal Care & Control (FWACC), finding ways to support the animals during the holiday season and beyond.
The donations included a variety of items meant to comfort and entertain the pets at the shelter, from toys and training pads to foster bags. This drive, as described by Dorta, is another step in a series of ongoing efforts by her and her peers to support local animals in need. Engaging in a student-run volunteering and fostering program known as Frogs for Dogs, they’ve taken a proactive role in giving back to their four-legged community members.
"Sometimes I’ll just come and see the dogs and hang out with them for a little, and just that is amazing," Dorta shared about the personal joy she finds in her volunteer work. She fostered FWACC pets before, which demonstrated a commitment that extends beyond the seasonal cheer of filling up a Mini Cooper with pet treats. Together with her friend Ana, they once fostered a pup named Doug, who permanently etched himself into their hearts, culminating in what is lovingly referred to as a foster fail, as per the City of Fort Worth.
