| Icypups |
How One Girl is Making a Difference
Meghan’s passion for helping the dogs at the local No Kill Forsyth County Humane Society has been part of our lives since March, 2009; however, her passion for animals has been with us since she was born. Meghan (8 years old) and her brother James (7 years old) have Sampson (a bloodhound), Trigger (a black domestic short hair cat), and Shylow and Christy (guinea pigs). Meghan had read all dog breed books and studied all about the training of dogs when we realized her need to still do more. We visited the shelter to learn more of how she could help and that is when we learned about the fostering a dog program. Our family prepared mentally on the challenges of becoming a foster home to dogs; however, we never prepared for the unexpected and harder challenges of Meghan’s allergies that would come after.
We became foster parents of “Redd” in November 2009 and were so happy to have him in our home and part of our other pets lives. Redd fit in perfectly to our home but we learned that Meghan’s asthma and allergies were getting worse. The allergist described it as “overfilling her jar.” She tested allergic to animals a few weeks after we began fostering. We were able to help find Redd a forever home, but Meghan was left describing to me that 1/3 of her life had been taken away if she could not help with animals, especially dogs.
We are sure Meghan will grow out of her allergies but in the meantime she continues to pursue new and creative ways to help animals without being in contact with them. For instance, Meghan also posts pictures in our neighborhood clubhouse of the dogs and cats at the Forsyth County Humane Society that are needing a home. She changes the pictures and descriptions every Friday so that they are current and up to date.
Right: Meghan presents Jill Gooch, Executive Director, with the first proceeds from “Icypups.” The money will be used towards surgeries for the dogs and cats
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This allergy to dogs did not stop Meghan’s passion for wanting to help them; it actually created what we now call Icypups, frozen dog treats. Meghan began with making homemade dog food for Sampson, our bloodhound, and other neighbors dogs, but she later discovered freezing the food was a refreshing treat for the dogs in the hot days of summer! All of the ingredients are healthy for dogs and the “pup-sicle” stick is even edible. Meghan and her friends started making these Icypups and handing flyers out to neighbors. We began selling them for $1 a treat with 100% proceeds going to the Forsyth County Humane Society. Dogs seemed to enjoy them so it was not hard to raise $60 which has been donated to the Humane Society for surgeries for dogs and cats. Meghan’s dream of helping dogs came true or you could say Meghan’s doggie dreamsicle came true!
A note from the editor: We are so lucky to have kids like Meghan helping the animals at the Humane Society! Thank you Meghan and family for caring so much and finding a way to overcome obstacles to your passion to help. Many people would have given up but not you! Meghan even brought the shelter dogs come Icypups which they got to enjoy when it was SO hot outside. Chief, the husky, was especially fond of them!