Special Girl Passes Her “Make-A-Wish” Wish to Help Shelter Pups
Many kids who make a wish via the Make-A-Wish Foundation ask to meet their favorite musician or spend a day in Disney World, but that’s not the case when it came to 11-year-old Anna Getner.
Anna had recently completed a 821-day treatment regimen for leukemia – that’s two years and three months spent fighting the disease. When the Make-a-Wish Connecticut stepped in and asked Anna what her one wish would be, she told them she wanted to build a puppy playroom for her local animal shelter.
Related: The Joys of Adopting a Dog
Pam Keogh, president at Connecticut’s Make-a-Wish Foundation, says in the past 30 years they have fulfilled almost 2,500 wishes and they haven’t encountered a wish quite like Anna’s.
The thoughtful tween had plenty of design ideas for what the indoor/outdoor part would look like in order to make the dogs feel at ease, as it would make for a great place to have potential adopters to meet their future doggies. The Make-A-Wish foundation worked with volunteers, supporters and local businesses to make Anna’s dream become a reality.
When Anna saw the room for the first time, she exclaimed “Oh my god, it’s amazing!” meaning everyone’s hard work paid off – mission accomplished!
The space at PAWS (dubbed Anna’s Dog Park) is made to look like it’s in the middle of a park, complete with photo wallpaper and blue sky ceiling tiles. There’s even a picture of Anna and her rescue dog Franklin built into the landscape.
Anna’s dog Franklin was a huge factor when it came to deciding what she wanted as her wish. She wanted to help all the animals at PAWS to find their forever homes and bring joy to both families and dogs just like Franklin has.
Related: 7 Ways A Shelter Dog Can Improve Your Life
Pet Food Company Blue Buffalo was so inspired by Anna’s story that they not only offered to help fund the project to build the playroom, but also announced that they will donate food to PAWS for life.
Thanks to Anna’s selfless action, not only will these dogs be fed until they find their forever home to adopt them, but they also have a great new place to play and have fun while they wait. It’s the wish that keeps on giving!
[Source: TheBark]
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