BROWNSVILLE, TX – Students participating in the U.S. Border Patrol’s R.E.A.L. Mission program had a valuable and educational experience during their visit to the Brownsville Animal Care and Regulation Center (BARCC).
The R.E.A.L. Mission program focuses on mentoring at-risk youth between the ages of 13 to 21, providing them with rewarding educational opportunities, attitude development and leadership skills.
During their visit to BARCC, members of the R.E.A.L. Mission R.E.A.L. 001 class from Fort Brown Station learned about the care provided to the animals and the range of services offered by the shelter. This hands-on experience gave the students a better understanding of the efforts involved in preparing animals for adoption.
The students actively participated in cleaning the shelter and had the opportunity to interact with the shelter dogs. Some students even volunteered to walk the dogs or play with them in the yard.
A surprise for some of the shelter pets was that three of the Border Patrol agents who accompanied the students to the shelter ended up adopting three of the shelter dogs.
“It was a wonderful experience for everyone involved,” said Border Patrol Agent Jorge Rodriguez, one of the agents who adopted a dog from the shelter. “The students learned a lot about animal care, and the dogs found new loving homes.”
BARCC staff thanked the Border Patrol for their support. “We thank the Border Patrol for their commitment to the community and for helping find homes for our animals,” said BARCC Director Sarah Smith. “The collaboration between our organization and Border Patrol is important for the well-being of the animals in our community.”
