Humane Society recognizes 8-year-old for rescue animal efforts

SCOTT COUNTY, Ky. (WTVQ) – He may not yet have reached the age of 10, but a Scott County kid is piling up the accolades.

The Humane Society of the United States is recognizing Ethan Branscum with a Humane Advocate Award for his dedicated work to bring awareness to rescue animals. These awards are given each year to individuals who go above and beyond to protect animals.

At only 8-years-old, Ethan has devoted his time to highlighting shelter and rescue pets by starting an online petition with more than 1,000 signatures to make rescued pets the official pet of the state of Kentucky and writing letters to state representatives and senators, President Biden and his two dogs.

Ethan worked with Sen. Adrienne Southworth, R-Lawrenceburg, to introduce a bill to make pets adopted from Kentucky shelters or rescues the official state pet.

Unfortunately, while Senate Bill 242 passed in a House committee it did not advance any further this past session, thanks to Ethan’s persistence, Southworth offered a resolution to increase awareness of the need for pet adoption which did pass the Senate.