Seguin Today: March 2026

SWEET DREAMS

Elderly pets’ second chance at life

FEATURED ADOPTEES

Shelter pets looking for homes

Canine Classmates

Welcome to our second ever issue of Seguin Today that is all about pets! We did a similar themed issue last year, and received outstanding response from the community. So with that in mind we bring you another issue all about the pets that make life worth living.

This year, we took a drive out to some Guadalupe County roads to visit Sweet Dreams Pet Sanctuary where senior pets live their golden years with love and affection. You’ll meet the volunteers that make it all happen. Then, you’ll visit Navarro Elementary where a dog named Clovis is changing the lives of students by giving them the confidence to read.

Pets bring joy, and we hope that’s what this issue of Seguin Today brings you. May it put a smile on your face as your read these heartwarming stories that pay homage to the furry creatures that take over our beds and our hearts.

Lizz Daniels Creative Director

Photo by Lizz Daniels

GENERAL MANAGER

Darren Dunn

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Lizz Daniels

ADVERTISING MANAGER

Nick Spence

WRITERS

Cindy Aguirre-Herrera

Chris Austin

Lizz Daniels

ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS

Laurie Ann Heideke

Linda Duncan

OFFICE MANAGER

Priscilda Rodriguez

The courage to an aging pet LOVE LOVE

Sweet Dreams Pet Sanctuary’s mission to serve Guadalupe County’s senior pets & owners

Story & Photos by Lizz Daniels

Pets bring so much joy to the lives they touch. They bring small moments of peace in a busy world that can often be overwhelming. But as people age, sometimes pets (who are also aging) get lost along the way due to illness or other life circumstances that just can’t be avoided.

These forgotten pets often become the burden of family members or rescues that struggle to find appropriate homes for senior animals. That’s where Sweet Dreams Pets Sanctuary comes in with its mission to rescue elderly pets and give them a loving home for their golden years.

Sanctuary founder and executive director Carole Harrison has made it her personal mission to give these elder pets homes where they can thrive despite the circumstances that landed them at a rescue.

“So, the mission is primarily to help elderly people that can no longer care for their senior pets,” she said. “So it’s someone that maybe through a medical crisis or just aging, they can no longer live at home, and they go live with a family member or assisted living or a nursing home, and they can’t take their senior pet with them. We want to provide a loving home for the pet. I work at the hospital and I’ve seen a lot of people go through the trauma of having to give up their home and the hardest thing for them is they’ve got an old dog or cat that they’ve had forever and the family already has three and they’re already taking in dad and nobody wants

the animal and they’re not going to get adopted at a shelter. Shelters are struggling as it is, and they’ve got a lot better shot of adopting out a puppy than a senior dog. So our mission is to provide care for them for the rest of their lives.”

Sweet Dreams Pet Sanctuary is located on a plot of land about 15 minutes outside Seguin. Pulling up, visitors are greeted by a pack of happily barking dogs with wagging tails at the gate. The sanctuary is a large home with a picturesque front porch and a spacious yard for dogs to roam. In the back, there’s also a large fenced acreage where the dogs get to go on hikes and excursions. But the dogs are not limited to a life at home. They go camping and on adventures with their caretakers, giving them a full, joyous life unlike anything a typical shelter can offer.

The sanctuary also includes an expansive indoor/outdoor cat run for feline residents, where they can hang out above all the hustle and bustle of the dog pack. Cats lie lounging in the warm sunlight, while others paw and meow at visitors seeking pets and attention.

Inside, the sanctuary home is warm and welcoming, with dogs quietly napping on dog beds, couches, and chairs while their caretakers live and work around them. Carole and the team of volunteers will go to any lengths to ensure new arrivals at Sweet Dreams are comfortable and settling in with as little stress as possible.

“Sassy’s first night, she had such separation anxiety. I slept outside on a mat,” she said. “She was so frantic. I couldn’t get her to settle down. She’s screaming, she’s crying, it was horrible! And everytime she did, you’ve got three or four dogs upset, so I thought we’re going to go outside and give her some space to run. And then I’m like, I’m tired, so I laid on a mat out there and slept for a little while.”

Since Carole’s night in the yard with Sassy, Sweet Dreams has added a ‘welcome home’ building where new arrivals can spend some time adjusting to life at the sanctuary.

Everything they do is to create a safe space for these animals to live while being cared for by people who truly love them. And they do the work to ensure that previous owners have the opportunity to stay connected to their pets.

“If it’s an owner that’s going to a local nursing home or assisted living, we take them to visit,” Carole said. “It’s very fun. We have some funny stories of some of the antics. The largest boy, Enoch, is a big black shepherd. His owner is at Seguin Assisted Living so we take him to see her. And it’s so good for her. It’s great for the other people who live there, too. So we try to keep that bond if they want it. Another of our residents, Boris, whose mama is in memory care, got to go to her birthday party a couple of weeks ago. It was her 90th birthday party, and she was thrilled. He even helped himself to a sandwich. She just lights up when she sees him.”

Carole and the team at the sanctuary work together to ensure the families and individuals they support get the help they need throughout the

process. All pets are thoroughly vetted before starting their new lives at the sanctuary, and all residents must be approved by the non-profit’s board of directors. This process helps ensure the pets who need the most help get it, because they will ultimately spend the rest of their lives either at the sanctuary or living in a home with a Guardian Angel.

“One of our big deals is our Guardian Angel program,” Carole explained. “So a Guardian Angel is a forever foster. A lot of times, people may not want to adopt a dog because they’re a senior and may have excruciatingly high vet bills or things like that. So that’s kind of a detriment, but Sweet Dreams continues to cover the veterinarian bills for Guardian Angels and their fosters. This allows you to provide a home, food, and love.”

Guardian Angels allow Sweet Dreams to service a wider variety of dogs beyond those who do well in multi-dog households. Sometimes a dog joins the sanctuary and just doesn’t quite fit with the rest of the pack. That’s when a Guardian Angel can make a true difference.

“We had a blue heeler here named Dotty,” Carole laughed. “We had a volunteer who used to call her ‘Hotty Dotty.’ That dog was a hot mess. A blue heeler needs things to do, things to herd, and here, you’ve got a bunch of old dogs that really don’t want to be herded. So Dotty was a handful. Well, we’ve got this wonderful man with a small farm, and he’s her Guardian Angel now. She lives there, and now she gets to help feed the chickens and the goats and chases the kitties, and she is just madly in love with him ––madly. And he’s in love with her.”

As with many dogs that were originally meant to be strictly outdoor animals, Dotty the blue heeler worked her way into her Guardian Angel’s heart and home, where she is now an adored member of the family. With Sweet Dreams’ support, Dotty and her Guardian Angel are both able to live happy, enriching lives together, providing an opportunity they would not have had were it not for the sanctuary.

The many dogs and cats at Sweet Dreams have been given a second chance at life because of the sanctuary’s work in Guadalupe County. The volunteers who help run Sweet Dreams really make it all possible. They are the ones putting in the time and effort of early mornings and late evenings to get all these animals cared for. And because of all their hard work, they are making a difference in the lives of humans and pets, one rescue at a time. •

READING READING Where MEETS

Wagging Tails

Therapy dog program helps Navarro students find their voice

Story by Cindy Aguirre-Herrera

Photos by Lizz Daniels

In a quiet corner at Navarro Elementary School, a curly-haired poodle named Clovis listens patiently as a first grader carefully sounds out words from her favorite book. There are no giggles from classmates, no pressure to get every word perfect — just a calm presence, a wagging tail, and a growing sense of confidence.

For the past four years, The Canine Classroom program at Navarro Elementary has turned nervous readers into confident ones -- one 30-minute session at a time.

The partnership with Canine Classmates first began when firstgrade teacher Susan Kohl saw the success other schools were having with therapy-dog reading programs.

“The partnership with Canine Classmates began four years ago when I learned about therapy-dog reading programs used successfully in other schools,” Kohl said.

After discussing the idea with then-principal Laurel Wilson — who had connections to Donna and Archie Dishman (founders of the program) -- Kohl worked to bring the program to campus.

“The goal is to support students in first through third grade who are struggling in reading in the areas of confidence, fluency and comprehension. The program is designed to create a calm, encouraging environment where students can practice reading without fear of judgment,” Kohl said.

And that environment is exactly what students find each week.

During a typical session, a trained volunteer and therapy dog meet one-on-one with a student in a quiet, private space. Children bring a classroom reader, library book or leveled text and sit beside — or gently cuddle — the dog while reading aloud.

Amy Raven, the campus tutor who oversees the program, says the dogs must complete temperament sessions to ensure they are calm and well-behaved.

“The dog is not mine. I actually get him dropped off to me and picked up every day,” Raven explained. “They have to go through a little session to make sure that they can sit and that

they are well behaved and calm and their demeanor is great.”

As the campus tutor, Raven monitors each session and offers support when needed. But if a word proves tricky, she says a quick hug or gentle pet with Clovis eases the frustration and allows the children to try again.

“If they have a struggle with a word, I can kind of help them through that. I encourage them and I’ve seen them go from getting scores of like 1s and 2s to 3s and 4s now. Their confidence is a whole lot higher, and they are able to sound out better words. I think Clovis just puts them at ease and helps them feel comfortable and that there is no judgment,” Raven said.

Among those who believe that reading to Clovis is the best part of their week is Student Brielle Lavagnino.

“When I read to Clovis, it’s fun because I get to hang out with Clovis and Ms. Amy and he gives me confidence,” said the first grader.

Carson Van Booven, also a first grader, says he enjoys the relaxed setting and is proud of what he can now accomplish.

“The best part is I get to lie with him and read to him and give him treats. I think that I became a better reader because I can read the ‘Wings of Fire’ and it has 217 pages,” Van Booven said.

Second grader Hudson Hill says he, too can see how the program has helped him. “It makes me a better reader. I can sound out words a little better,” Hill said.

Even though Second Grader Kate Gonzales has two dogs and a cat at home, reading to Clovis still feels special.

“It’s really fun and I like it. I’ve never really had time to read to a dog so it’s fun that I get to read to a dog and I get to use some time to read to him. I can read sentences, bigger books and sound out words,” she said.

Data collected each year has shown consistent gains in reading performance and confidence. The kids’ continued progress no doubt speaks volumes about the program’s impact.

Navarro ISD Superintendent Dr. Mandy Epley has seen similar programs before, but says Clovis brings something uniquely powerful to the campus.

“When I came from Comal ISD, we had this program and the dogs were Newfoundland’s, but here we have Clovis who is a poodle,” Epley said. “Seeing Clovis relaxed and calm with them helps students see that they can be successful and it builds that confidence. Anytime I hear students talk about the confidence they get from the program, it really encourages us to stay connected to it. It is something we cherish, and think is an important part of helping our struggling readers.”

School Principal Tracee Gonzales says the program’s simplicity is part of its strength.

“It really does not take a whole lot of overhead. We give her a small room. It’s one employee that comes in, but we have a teacher with passion to grow kids that struggle with reading and that’s where it came from,” Gonzales said. “It’s really hard to say no to something that promotes social well-being and helps our struggling readers to be more confident.”

Gonzales says much of the program’s success lies heavily in community support. She says it’s taken a total village to ensure the program’s success and looks forward to new supporters.

“Support your campuses. Support the needs of who is in your community because it takes the entire city,” Gonzales said. “We’ve got kids who fear answers in a classroom because they might be wrong, but a dog doesn’t tell them that. A dog allows them to read freely. You’ve got a kid who doesn’t want a book in their hand to now, they are skipping all the way to the room because they want to see the dog and they want to read to the dog. When you’ve got a program that works, I just can’t imagine ever stopping it.”

Much of its community support currently comes from the Panther Posse and The Lightpath Company. District officials say these two partners have helped sustain the program year after year. Additional donations and community sponsors, however, are always needed to help change the lives of young readers and can be sent to the Navarro business office.

Behind the scenes, the non-profit program based in Canyon Lake depends on trained therapy-dog handlers, careful weekly scheduling, administrative support, and community volunteers willing to train additional dogs.

Though the program currently serves a small group of students, district leaders believe its impact is far greater than the numbers suggest. With additional trained volunteers and therapy dogs, they hope to extend that quiet confidence-building experience to even more children across campus.

That’s because at Navarro Elementary, literacy growth has proven that it doesn’t always start with a worksheet or a test. Sometimes, it begins with four paws and the quiet reassurance that the best listener in the room won’t interrupt, won’t correct, but instead will love every word that you read. •

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C.A.S.T. for Kids

The C.A.S.T. for Kids Foundation will be hosting a morning of fishing and celebration for children with special needs at 9:00 AM on March 21, 2026, at the Irma Lewis Outdoor Learning Center in Seguin, TX. The event enriches the lives of children with special needs, supports their families, and strengthens the community through fishing. For event details, contact coordinator April Bustamante at (830) 446-0110 or email irmalewis@castforkids.org. More information is available at https://castforkids.org/event/irmalewis.

March 21

Disability Awareness Month

A wheelchair exhibition race featuring Texas Parasport athletes will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 21 at Bulldog Stadium during the university’s D3 Challenge track meet. The event marks the third anniversary of the exhibition and is now recognized as a World Para Athletics certified competition. In addition, a Self-Advocacy in Medicine panel discussion will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 26 via Zoom.

March 28

Kite Festival

The 5th Annual Community Kite Festival is happening Saturday, March 28, 2026, from 10:00am-1:00 pm at Manuel C. Castilla Park! Family Fun, Music & Games, Community Resource Booths, Free Food & Food Truck Options, Arts & Crafts, Kite Flying, & Door Prizes.

March 30

Women’s History Month at TLU Events include a Lunch and Learn Authors Panel will be held at noon Tuesday, March 18 in the Dunne Conference Center at Tschoepe Hall. The celebration concludes with the “Her Vision, Her Voice” Women’s History Month Recital at 7 p.m. Monday, March 30 in Ayers Recital Hall at the Schuech Fine Arts Center. See more information on all the free events at tlu.edu.

March 31

SHS students offer free tax help

The service is available from 4:10 to 5:10 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays through March 31 at the Seguin High School Library. The program is provided by IRS-certified students in the Seguin Independent School District Career and Technical Education business pathway and is open to individuals and families earning about $67,000 or less, persons with disabilities, and limited English-speaking taxpayers. Appointments are encouraged. For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact Helen Stamper at hstamper@seguin.k12.tx.us.

April 15

Free Tax Help at Texas Lutheran University

The clinic will be held Wednesdays from 5 to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon through April 15 at the Beck Center on the Texas Lutheran University campus, 1020 Beck Drive in Seguin. The service is provided at no cost by accounting students from Texas Lutheran University and is open to individuals and households earning $69,000 or less, as well as seniors, people with disabilities, and limited Englishspeaking taxpayers.

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