WilCo Child's Poignant Pet Adoption Story Earns $5K Prize

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TX — A young county resident's poignant story about adopting a pet has helped the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter secure a $5,000 grant, officials said Friday.

The personal account from the Georgetown resident (identified only as Keegan) prompted the Petco Foundation to donate the cash award, and the child's powerful narrative now has launched a broader movement to raise $25,000 more, shelter officials said.

Keegan found a friend in Franklyn, who offered unconditional love amid bullying from human peers. "Franklyn loves me for me and doesn't care what I wear or that I’m non-binary," Keegan wrote. "It’s nice always having someone to be there for me, no matter what. Growing up as a non-binary kid is hard, and a lot of people don’t understand me. Franklyn understands me, and that’s all that matters."

Amid bullying from human peers, Keegan found a real pal in Franklyn. Photo courtesy of Williamson County Animal Shelter.

Keegan wrote about being bullied by other kids at school, describing the torment palpably: "When I was in fourth grade, kids bullied me because I’m non-binary. That means I dress differently than people thought I should dress, so kids would make fun of me and say mean things. It made me feel very sad and depressed. It made me not like going to school. I would come home and cry almost every day. I didn’t want to be alive anymore."

Keegan's mom suggested finding a pet to not only mitigate depression but help fill the void left after a previous canine companion died in the fall. Keegan and Franklyn have been inseparable since finding each other, the child wrote.

"After we adopted her, she sat on my lap the whole way home," Keegan wrote. "I knew we would be best friends! Since we adopted Franklyn, she’s always by my side. She helps lift my spirits when I’m feeling depressed by snuggling me and giving me kisses. When I’m sad, and she’s getting really playful, I see that she’s happy which makes me happy. We go on walks together to help me clear my head. Whenever I feel like I don’t have any friends, she helps me because I know I still at least have one: her."

Keegan submitted the story to Petco Foundation detailing a life-changing effect resulting from the pet adoption, county officials explained. The compelling nature of the narrative earned a $5,000 Holiday Wishes grant that will go toward the shelter’s continued life-saving work, officials added. The grant has since sparked a holiday fundraising drive to collect an additional $25,000 in community donations, shelter officials said.

The Petco Foundation, in partnership with BOBS from Skechers, invited adopters to share how their pet has made a positive impact for a chance to receive a grant for their community shelter where they adopted their animal. This year, Keegan’s heartwarming story about adopting Franklyn Ruth Anne Pupperstein (the pet's full name, don't you know) was selected as one of 50 national winners from among thousands of submissions, officials said.

Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter officials said they were notified about the winning submission during a surprise virtual celebration on Dec. 9, which was recorded and can be viewed by clicking here.

By virtue of that personal account, animal lovers can help make even more Holiday Wishes come true for the regional animal shelter by voting for Keegan’s story in the People’s Choice competition at petcofoundation.org/vote from now until noon on Wednesday (Dec. 16) to help the shelter earn up to $25,000 in additional lifesaving funds, officials added.

“We encourage our community of animal lovers to vote for our story! If 2020 has shown us anything it’s that pets change our lives for the better," Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter Animal Services Director Misty Valenta said in a prepared statement. "Your vote can help us earn lifesaving funds, so we can bring more pets in need together with loving families.”

The Petco Foundation People’s Choice competition invites the public to vote for their favorite adoption story and gives the top five vote recipients the chance to receive additional grant funding from $5,000 to $25,000. The deadline to vote is this coming Wednesday (Dec. 16) by noon CST. Winning organizations will be announced late December. To view all 50 finalist stories and vote for a favorite, visit petcofoundation.org/vote.

Petco Foundation Holiday Wishes Campaign

The Petco Foundation selected 50 winning Holiday Wishes stories this year, and will distribute a total of $860,000 in grant awards to animal welfare organizations across the country. Winning Holiday Wishes story awards ranged from $5,000 to $100,000, and adopters with winning submissions received a prize pack including a Petco gift card and BOBS from Skechers shoes. Since 2013, the Petco Foundation has awarded over $5.8 million in Holiday Wishes grants to celebrate pet adoption and help hardworking animal welfare organizations during the holiday season and year-round.

For more information about the Holiday Wishes campaign, visit the Petco Foundation website.

The Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter is located at 1855 S.E. Inner Loop in Georgetown, Texas, and the phone number is (512) 943-3322. Hours of operation are Monday to Friday from noon to 6 p.m. and Saturday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Holiday hours are:

• Christmas Eve: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Christmas Day: Closed.
• New Year’s Eve: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• New Year’s Day: Open for emergencies & pet reclaims from noon to 4 p.m.