Fall River Girl Hopes to Make Season Bright for Animals in Need

While some children are busy writing their holiday wish list for themselves, one Fall River child is busy writing a donation list for a local animal shelter. Leah Medeiros, 11, is on a mission to collect as many donations as possible for Forever Paws Animal Shelter in Fall River to ensure that every animal there feels loved this holiday season.

It All Started on New Year’s Day

Every year, the Medeiros family decides on New Year’s resolutions, and for Leah, her choice was simple.

“I’ve been wanting to help animals for a while now,” she said. “When I was thinking about my New Year’s resolution, I figured it was a good idea to do something nice for the animals.”

Since January, Leah has been busy collecting animal supplies and food, and dropping off the goods at Forever Paws.

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Giving Love to Animals Who Need It

“Animals help people and they comfort people and they deserve (love) too,” she said. “I’m hoping that the animals will have a good Christmas.”

Leah is hoping to have December be the biggest month for donations yet. The plan is to stuff holiday stockings for each animal at the shelter, but she needs the community’s help. Unfortunately, her mom won’t let her adopt every animal in the shelter, but packaging heartfelt stockings are the next best thing.

“It’s so awesome to see,” Heather Mederios said of her daughter’s desire to give back. “It’s such a great feeling to know how excited she gets to give back to animals. She has such a giving heart and she would give up her own Christmas to make sure animals have a good Christmas. I’m so proud of her.”

How to Help

Monetary donations for the special stockings can be made online or items can be dropped off at Forever Paws Animal Shelter in Fall River.

Tell them Leah sent you.

When Leah gets older, she hopes to be an author or a zookeeper, but for right now, she just wants to make animals happy, and that is a mission worth talking about.