Teen in Animal Shelter

Oak Grove Today

Friday, November 6, 2009

Teen Spends Time Helping Shelter Animals Find Homes

By Brittany Brown


Life changed for Oak Grove High School Student Ryan Henry last spring when she found an abandonded kitten outside First Baptist Church in Hattiesburg.  “While I was walking into church with my family, I found a teeny, tiny kitten in the bushes,” said Ryan, 16, of Oak Grove.  “I was shocked someone has treated an animal so badly and just threw is away.  I was so horrified I decided I wanted to do something to help animals.”

That day led Ryan to undertake animal adoption awareness as her platform while representing Hattiesburg as Miss Leaf River Valley Teen West in the Miss Mississippi Outstanding Teen Pageant last July in Vicksburg.

Selected among the top ten finalists in the pageant, Ryan decided to continue her platform as a personal community service project.

Ryan has spent the last year volunteering with area animal shelters and speaking to Pine Belt elementary students about animal adoption.

“The shelters are so full,” Ryan said.  “It’s heart wrenching to see that people don’t care enough to take care of their animals and they end up in this position.”

Last Saturday, Ryan sat outside PetSmart with 10 dogs from the Southern Pines Animal Shelter encouraging passers-by to take abandoned and needy animals to their homes.

“And even if they can’t adopt right now, I just hope I can raise awareness of how animals should be treated so they don’t end up left alone in shelters or on the streets.”

Ryan’s mom, Carla Abraham, said she’s seen her daughter’s affection for animals deepened through community service.

“It’s like she has a special connection with animals,” Abraham said.  “She’s just drawn to them, and coincidentally, they’re drawn to her.”

Ryan, who has loved animals since childhood, has three dogs and two cats- one of which is the little kitten she found near the steps of First Baptist Church more than a year ago.

“His name is Blackjack, and he is so sweet,” she said.  “He sleeps on my bed every night.”