A Christmas Surprise for Shelter Dogs: Haverde’s Heartwarming Gesture

Just weeks before Christmas, our Fort Worth Animal Care & Control volunteer coordinator received an email from Brandi Strong, the mother of a young girl named Haverde. In the email, Brandi shared a heartwarming photo of Haverde holding a letter she had written with a simple but beautiful request: could she come to the shelter and put up stockings for all the dogs? 

Our shelter staff, including our superintendent, were immediately touched by the thoughtful gesture and quickly gave their approval—how could we not? Haverde’s kindness and determination sparked something special within our team, and we were thrilled to make her wish a reality. 

Haverde’s idea was to decorate 20 stockings for the dogs who had been at the Silcox shelter the longest. Each stocking was personalized with a photo of the dog it was meant for, a sweet touch aimed at increasing the likelihood of those dogs finding their forever homes. The Strong family’s creativity and generosity didn’t stop there—they also brought enough stockings to decorate the shelter lobby, as well as the end of each row of kennels. All of these stockings were filled with treats, bringing a little extra cheer to the dogs’ holiday season. 

To make the celebration even more festive, the Strong family decorated the shelter lobby with a tinsel Christmas tree and placed beautifully wrapped gifts around it. As if that wasn’t enough, Haverde also created an adorable dog made entirely out of wrapping paper, adding a playful touch to the festive atmosphere. 

At Fort Worth Animal Care & Control, we are incredibly grateful to Haverde, her brother, and her parents, Brandi and Bobby Strong, for their kindness and generosity. Their efforts brought so much joy to our shelter dogs this Christmas, making them feel loved and cherished during the holiday season.  

It’s heartwarming acts like these that make our work so rewarding. Here's hoping that every one of these dogs finds their perfect home soon!