Zully Vasquez Ventura started carrying bags of dog food in her car everywhere she went around her Cleveland, Texas neighborhood, and that simple decision sparked a rescue mission that has now saved more than 5,000 dogs over the past few years. Everything changed in 2022 when she spotted a red Labrador mix who needed help and decided to take photos and post them on social media begging for assistance, getting just two likes and zero responses on her first try. She refused to give up and posted again until a rescue organization finally agreed to save the dog now named Rusty, and that single success gave her the courage to realize she could do it again and again for other dogs who needed help. Ventura started hitting the streets with her smartphone to document every dog she found and network with rescue organizations who could provide medical care and forever homes for animals in her community.
Since that first rescue, she has personally saved over 5,000 dogs and even started her own nonprofit called The Daily Kibble of Cleveland TX to help feed, vaccinate and rescue more animals while promoting low cost spay and neuter programs. The most amazing part of her story is that she gave birth to a baby girl in August and was back out rescuing dozens more dogs just two months later because she couldn’t stop thinking about the animals who needed her. Ventura built a small kennel at her home to foster dogs temporarily, and she works closely with rescue organizations across Texas who help get the animals the medical treatment they need before finding them loving families. Her incredible dedication has inspired more rescues to help in her area and community members have demanded that the county create an animal control program, proving that one person’s determination really can create massive change and save thousands of lives.
