KIBBLE KRUSADER KEITH, 12, WINS $1,000 OF HALO FOR TACOMA HUMANE SOCIETY
November 17th, 2009 by Diane Herbst
A few years ago, Keith Webster visited his local shelter. There he found his best friend, a Jack Russell he named Nedley. “When I got him in the car for the very first time he crawled on my lap and he laid his head on my hand for the long trip on the road,” writes Keith in his winning Kibble Krusaders Kontest essay. “I feel so happy that when I went to the Humane society I got to look at two little eyes looking straight back at me.”
Keith, a 12-year-old from Alderton, Washington, found his beloved Nedley at the Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County, the largest shelter in the state, which, thanks to the sixth grader’s essay received $1,000 worth of Halo Dinner Party for their more than 100 dogs and 60 cats. “I was just writing,” says Keith, “from my heart.”
That was evident to Mimi Ausland, 13, the founder of freekibble.com who picked Keith’s essay out of almost 500 entries as one of the five winners. “You could tell it came from his heart,” says Mimi. “It was really genuine.” Click here to read Keith’s entire essay.
Marguerite Richmond, development director of the Tacoma Humane Society, agrees. “When I read his essay, it was so genuine,” she says, “and it reminded me how important animals are to kids.”
The homeless dogs and cats at the shelter certainly appreciate Keith’s thoughtful gift. “They seem to like (the treats) alot,” says Richmond. “Any little boost they can get is helpful, it’s a stressful environment in the shelter, and good nutrition is helpful when they are under stress.”
At home, Keith lives not only with Nedley, but a cat and a cockatiel. But Nedley is the center of his world. “I play with Ned every day of my life because I care about him so much,” he writes in his Krusaders essay. “Sometimes I spend all weekend just us together and as I type this I am holding him.”
Keith loves helping animals, and may one day become a veterinarian. “It feels pretty good to win,” he says. “Dogs need care and stuff.”


Ellen DeGeneres and Halo donated to 10-year-old Annabelle Held’s favorite charity – Our Pal’s Place animal shelter – in an inspiring spot on the Ellen Show.
“There are two types of people in the world, passive and active,” says Jessica Harris, head of adoptions at a Louisiana shelter, “passive who want to know what their community can do for them, and your active people wonder what they can do to better their community.” 
by Mimi Ausland, Freekibble.com

Then Garcia commented, “Not only do our dogs love 
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