“Some of the shelters need help because some of the animals are suffering.”
Jordan Lansing, 11
By Stephanie Alderton
Journal Staff Writer
Jordan Lansing, 11, continued a birthday tradition on Tuesday when she went to the Cortez Animal Shelter to donate a carload of pet supplies.
The Dolores middle-schooler has been asking her friends for shelter donations instead of presents for every birthday since she turned 7. She plans to keep up the tradition until she realizes her dream of becoming a veterinarian.
Her mother, Amber Lansing, said this year’s pile of donations was the biggest yet.
Jordan delivered the supplies with her mom and her brother David, three days after her birthday party on Saturday. Their gifts included dog and cat food, toys, treats, cleaning supplies and more. Even though Jordan said only eight of her friends were able to come to her party this year, they all brought enough to make a sizable pile in the shelter’s hallway.
Helping the shelter seems especially important this year, Lansing said, since it has been struggling to secure funding from the county.
“Some of the shelters need help because some of the animals are suffering,” Jordan said.
Helping animals isn’t just an annual activity for her, but a lifetime calling. When she grows up, she hopes to become a veterinarian, convert an RV into a medical van and travel around the country giving basic health services to pets that need them.
Right now her family owns two cats and a dog, all rescues from various shelters. Going to the shelter can be dangerous, according to Jordan. The family’s last trip to the one in Durango ended in a long-term commitment.
“Mom said, ‘we’re just going to look at the animals,’ and we come home with a dog,” she said.
Shelter supervisor Jennifer Crouse said she and the other employees always look forward to the Lansings’ visit.
“They come every year, and it’s always fun,” she said.