Posted on Sept. 16 2026

BURLESON, Texas — Creativity and community compassion came together on Wednesday, September 2, as young residents gathered at the Burleson Public Library for “Paws + Clay: Sculpt a Shelter Pup to Help Them Get Adopted.” Led by Jessica Pounds, the inaugural one-hour event brought together about 20 to 25 attendees for an afternoon that blended civic learning, kindness, and artistic expression.

Held from 4 to 5 p.m. at 248 SW Johnson Ave., the free, hands-on program welcomed children and families—targeting ages six and up—to shape air-dry clay into representations of local shelter animals while raising awareness for pets awaiting adoption at the Burleson Animal Shelter. The initiative comes at a critical time, as the city facility has been operating over capacity since November 2023, with approximately 24 dogs and cats currently available for adoption.

Before opening the clay packages, participants received an educational overview of municipal animal welfare operations designed to teach children about shelter work, promote animal advocacy, and instill lifelong kindness and a love for animals. Library staff introduced attendees to the day-to-day work conducted by the Burleson Animal Shelter, explaining how the adoption process functions, what it takes to care for rescue pets, and how community members of all ages can contribute.

Following the discussion, children selected photographs of real dogs currently residing at the shelter and got to work using the provided air-dry clay and sculpting materials.

Ten-year-old Jase Monroe chose to sculpt a dog named Chunk. “He is one year old. Just by looking at him, I thought he was cute,” Jase said. “If anyone sees him and doesn’t want him, he should be charged with a crime!

Local mother Linley Zook brought her two children, Claire and Zane, after finding out about the program online. “We found it on Facebook—we come to the library about twice a month,” Zook shared. “We like to play with clay and animals, so it was a good mixture. We have two children and both love animals. We have two guinea pigs right now, so there are enough pets [at home].” For their sculptures, Claire picked Sophie, a one-year-old pup, while Zane selected a dog named Red, a Bernese Mountain Dog mix.

The initiative extended beyond the craft tables. After completing their figures, participating children were invited to star in short video clips holding their handmade creations to personally help get the animals adopted. 

In these brief segments, recorded with parental permission, the children shared why viewers should consider adopting their chosen dog. The videos are scheduled for distribution across local online platforms to increase public visibility for the shelter’s full house of pets.

All materials for the event were provided free of charge by the library as part of its ongoing slate of youth programming, which pairs interactive creative projects with educational outreach.

For more information about upcoming library programs or to view adoptable pets currently housed at the city shelter, residents can visit the official City of Burleson website or contact the Burleson Public Library..

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