Southwestern University junior Jacob Kendra began volunteering at the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter in Georgetown, just over a year ago.

"I have a lot of dogs at home and they have been a big part of my life," Kendra said. "Every time I go there, I get this overwhelming sense that all of these animals – dogs and cats – are just confined to these cages. People never give them the time of day because all they want is a puppy or a purebred, or something like that."

This sparked Kendra to do something more. He began visiting the shelter sometimes once or twice a week. He wanted to give the shelter animals a better life.

"I'll spend about 20 to 30 minutes with each dog," Kendra added. "I'll take them into the back where there is a big open field. I can just play with them, play fetch and just give them some time to run around so they can live a normal dog's life, instead of being trapped."

Kendra, who is a pitcher for the Pirates baseball team, says the best part is the interaction with the animals and seeing how they react.

"They are just so happy to be around a human and enjoy human contact and feel loved," the Carlsbad, California, native said. "They don't get that all of the time which is sad. I enjoy being able to be there for them."