"During COVID , I was not able to go in person and I needed to find a fun way to showcase the dogs and put them in a positive light," Evan explained. "I started animating them doing all the fun things dogs like to do to get people to picture them as a part of their family."His dedication has not gone unnoticed. Evan just got named the ASPCA's Kid of the Year."Our 2021 ASPCA Humane Award winners represent the best of us — heroic people and organizations dedicated to helping vulnerable animals, and amazing animals who demonstrate the invaluable love and comfort they're capable of providing," Matt Bershadker, president and CEO of the ASPCA, said in a release about the awards.INTERESTING FACT ABOUT YOUR PET: Dogs can be trained to to detect cancer and other diseases in humans. Cancerous cells release different metabolic waste products than healthy cells in the human body. Dogs may even be able to sniff out cancer cells simply through smelling someone’s breath.
A Wagging Tail Does Not Always Equal a Happy Dog. Don’t approach a strange dog just because it’s wagging it’s tail. Tail wagging isn’t always the universal sign of happiness – it can also indicate fear or insecurity. Be sure to teach your children about the basics of dog bite prevention.
For Evan, the award is a great honor, but it's just the beginning.
"It makes me feel really good ... but it also makes me want to do so much more," he shared.
Evan said his favorite story to read to the dogs is the children's book "Belly Rubbins for Bubbins," written by Jason Kraus and illustrated by Connor DeHaan."The story is about a dog that was placed into the shelter and got adopted," Evan said. "I like reading that to the dogs because when I'm done reading the book I'm like, 'You will get adopted. Now I have hope for you.'"
Evan's mom, Amanda Persaud, told TODAY that seeing her son honored for his work is gratifying as a parent.INTERESTING FACT ABOUT YOUR PET: Having a pet in the home can actually lower a child’s likelihood of developing related allergies by as much as 33 percent. Children exposed early on to animals tend to develop stronger immune systems overall.
"It definitely means a lot to see Evan doing something that makes him happy and him pursuing a passion with the encouragement to go further and really trying to make a difference," she said.
Persaud noted that her son tries to target shelter dogs that are in greatest need of immediate placement.
"He goes and he's very patient. He's very calm," she said. "He sits there, even though they're barking at him in his face, he's just going to sit there and be like, 'I know. I know it's hard. But I'm here. And if you want to hear a story, you're going to have to be quiet.'"
Keep Dry Dog Food Fresh in a Sealed Container. Dog food can start to loose it’s freshness after it’s open. If you buy bags of dog food use an airtight sealed container to store it, the food will stay fresh for much longer inside a tightly sealed container.
Evan said he doesn't play favorites when it comes to the dogs, but three who were adopted off the emergency placement list stand out in his memories.
"I just want people to know that shelter dogs are not bad dogs. They are just looking for good people," he said. "And to all the kids out there, you are never too small to make big changes."
