Hero Alert! Local 5-Year-Old’s Animal Shelter Fundraiser Earns Him a PETA Kids Award

For Immediate Release:
December 19, 2025

Contact:
Sara Groves 202-483-7382

Santa Paws is coming to town, and 5-year-old Noah Beasley is a chew-in for this year’s “nice list”! For raising much-needed funds to provide food, toys, treats, and other supplies to the dogs and cats at Patrick County Animal Shelter, Beasley has just earned a Hero to Animals Award from PETA Kids. 

This is Noah’s second year raising money for his local animal shelter, and his online fundraiser has already raised $2,100—just shy of his $2,500 goal, which he hopes to meet by his New Year’s Eve deadline. Noah has become an inspiration to his community, and as his mom writes on his GoFundMe, “In a rural area like Patrick County, where resources are limited, even small acts of kindness make a big difference.”  

“The homeless cats and dogs at Patrick County Animal Shelter have a hero in Noah, whose warm heart will bring them some comfort and joy until they find a loving home of their own,” says PETA Senior Vice President Colleen O’Brien. “The world is a kinder place with Noah in it, and PETA Kids is sure his shining example will inspire others to follow in his compassionate footsteps.” 

With millions of homeless dogs and cats in the U.S. at any given time, animal shelters across the country have been overwhelmed for years. PETA reminds everyone to always adopt, never buy animals from breeders or pet stores, to never give animals as gifts, and always have companion animals spayed or neutered.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—points out thatEvery Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information about PETA Kids, please visit PETAKids.com or follow PETA Kids on Facebook or Instagram.