Jones has been a volunteer at the shelter for the past four years and has three rescue dogs of her own.“The idea just came to me to connect persuasive writing with these adoptable pets that need a forever home,” she said, explaining that she thought it would be “a way that I could make their writing real for [the students], and actually make an impact on the world and our Richmond community, specifically.
Before they started the researching and writing process in late January, Peters brought a rescue dog to visit students at the school. “We were pretty impressed by what they came up with,” Jones said. One letter that stood out, she said, was one about a dog named Sunday Special. “It definitely brought exposure to the pets that had the greatest need in our shelter and showcased them in a really different and beautiful light,” Peters said, adding that young animals generally get adopted from the shelter quickly, while older pets with health issues are often overlooked. Older dogs eventually do get adopted, she said, though the process tends to take more time.