A Child Who Loves Animals Helps The Haven

Loving animals has always come naturally to 10-yearold Anna Dernlan. It was no surprise to her parents when she chose to make her Christmas donation to The Haven. “At Christmas, we always donate to a charity”, said her mother, Kara. “Anna chose The Haven, because we got mail from them, and she wanted to help animals.”

While Anna, a 4th grader at Bayshore Christian School in Daphne, is too young to be an official volunteer, she is finding a way to make a difference.

After making her donation, she and her mother were given a tour of The Haven, to see where her donation went. “As she has no pets, visiting The Haven gave her a great opportunity to be with animals”, remarked Kara. “She has always loved cats but fell in love with a couple of the dogs, too. While there, she made some kongs with treats inside for the animals.”

Anna’s love of animals has been encouraged by her family. “Some day she would like to be a veterinarian. Anna’s grandfather just retired from a career as a veterinarian and her aunt is one,” explained Kara. Anna said, “I want to help animals and hopefully others will enjoy those pets as much as I do.”

Thanks, Anna, from everyone at The Haven. You are a very special girl!