Pets are amazing and adored by all, but what about those in the shelter who don’t have owners to care for them? Zadia F. and Abbey L. from Sacred Heart Catholic School in New Smyrna Beach are taking care of that question.

They team has taken charge of a community project called For the Love of Dogs and Cats. The project entails collecting pet supplies and food for the dogs and cats in shelters at the New Smyrna Beach Humane Society and the Edgewater Humane Society. “We started this project because we love dogs and care about all of the animals in the shelter,” said Abbey. “We want to make the shelters feel that they are being supported, and we want to make the animals there happy.”

These two girls started fundraising at Sacred Heart Catholic School at the beginning of September 2018 and donated everything in October on the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, known for his love of nature and animals. “Our goal was to fill all of our donation boxes by the time we had to donate everything,” said Zadia. The girls were very surprised by the strong response from all the students at Sacred Heart. Boxes in every classroom were filled. The two students met their goal and made so many animals and pets happy.

Article written by Kaleigh M., an eighth grade student at Sacred Heart Catholic School, New Smyrna Beach.