Wilmington girl celebrates 10th birthday with pet donations instead of gifts - WECT-TV6

Wilmington girl celebrates 10th birthday with pet donations instead of gifts - WECT-TV6

“There was a sticky note on my invitation” said Addison. “It said, ‘Instead of toys and presents, I would like dog food, cat food, and like pet supplies.’” (SOURCE: WECT)

WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) -

Addison Cochran’s 10th birthday party looks similar to how most other kids ring in another year -- Balloons, food, decorations, and hanging out in the pool.

But one thing is noticeably missing – there aren’t any birthday gifts in sight.

Instead, a pile of dog and cat food, supplies, and treats is lined up along the wall.

“There was a sticky note on my invitation” said Addison. “It said, ‘Instead of toys and presents, I would like dog food, cat food, and like pet supplies.’”

And her friends stepped up to fulfill the birthday wish.

“Pets are so lovable and so cute,” explained Addison.

“For presents, I just like play with it once, and then I’m done with it or it breaks, so I like to donate this to the pet shelter where they can use it more often,” said Addison.

This isn’t her first time helping four-legged friends. Addison also asked for pet supply donations for her 7th birthday, and she regularly volunteers to help clean out cat kennels at shelters.

“I’ll probably do this for the rest of my life," said Addison. “There’s more and more animals coming, so I’d like to help them.”

Addison's mom, Kristen, said she is not surprised by her daughter's selfless move.

"She's very empathetic. She's always helping people," said Kristen. "This is right up her alley."

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