9-year-old Gives Birthday Cash to Shelter

In New Orleans, the PAWS animal shelter in Belle Chasse has added $300 to its tight budget. That may not sound like much money, but when it comes from a 9-year-old boy, it's something special.

And where did Britton Patrick Cooke get $300? He received the money as a cash present on his birthday. Instead of spending the loot on himself, he gave it to the shelter.

Back in June, Cooke and his family had gone to the shelter to pick out a dog to take home, according to an article by Ann Nungesser in the New Orleans Times-Picayune. She writes that Cooke spent a long time perusing the shelter dogs. He felt an immediate connection with "Lizzy." So far so good. The family has a dog; the dog has a family to care for her in their Algiers home.

But, as Nungesser writes, young Britton couldn't get the shelter dogs out of his head. So in July, after his 9th birthday, he and his mother came back to the shelter for a visit bearing a huge box of toys and treats for the many animals left behind.

He also brought the $300.

Not a big gift, to be sure, but none is more important.

Photo courtesy of eng1ne, via Flickr