10-Year-Old Spends His Birthday Doing Amazing Thing for a Shelter

Ten-year-old Mason Smith loves animals so much, he used his birthday as an opportunity to help shelter dogs and cats in need.

Instead of asking for birthday gifts, the fourth-grader told family and friends to donate dog food, cat food, treats and any money they could spare to the Rita B. Huff Animal Shelter in Hunstville, TX.

"It was just Christmas and I had all these presents," Mason told the The Huntsville Item. "I didn't know why I needed more so I decided to just donate."

Mason received donations totaling around $200 at his 10th birthday party last Saturday. A few days later, Mason visited the shelter to drop off the money, in addition to bags and bags of food and treats for the dogs and cats.

The money Mason received will help at least four animals find a permanent home through the shelter's adoption program, while the food will help feed the animals for a full day.

"It's been done before by adults, but this is the first time a child decided to give his birthday money to the shelter," the shelter's executive director, Marjolein Lemmon, told the Huntsville Item. "We have a fund set up where we do half-price adoptions for people that can't afford it. We'll put (Mason's) money in that fund to make it easier for some people to be able to adopt animals."

When Mason's grandmother, Kathy Beauchamp, heard her grandson wanted to help a shelter, she suggested the Rita B. Huff Animal Shelter, where she recently adopted her Catahoula Cur, Katie.

"That was completely his idea," Kathy tells the Good News of Mason's decision to help the shelter. "He's a very well-rounded kid, his mom and dad keep him pretty grounded."

"He's got a big heart," his mother Melissa tells us, saying she wasn't surprised by her son's act of kindness or fondness for animals - after all, the family has dozens of horses, dogs, cats, goats, chickens and turkeys on their 80-acre ranch, many of them rescued.

Even more spectacular than his efforts on behalf of animals is Mason's talent. He regularly competes in rodeos, riding horses and roping cattle, and is even a world champion. "He's got quite a few buckles and saddles under his belt," Kathy says. "I'm very proud of him."

More of the Good News:
Animal Lover Gives Back to a Closing Shelter
Check Out These Shelter Dogs' Happy Faces on Their Way to Their New Home
Photographer Helps Dogs Get Adopted with Amazing Photographs