Sometimes Purpose Finds You
How a dog's dental care led to a mission connecting pet parents with affordable veterinary services in Houston.
Sometimes Purpose Finds You
My name is Charlene Dixon, and I'm the founder of Paws & Pals Houston, a free resource connecting pet parents with affordable veterinary care and other services throughout Greater Houston.
The funny thing is, I never planned to start it.
It began with my dog, Eric the IV.
When Eric needed dental care, I discovered just how difficult finding affordable veterinary services could be. I spent hours researching clinics, comparing prices, and trying to determine where I could get him the care he needed.
Eventually, I found my answer. But I couldn't stop thinking about all the other pet parents facing the same problem.
What happens to the senior citizen with several pets? The person with a disability? The family already struggling financially? What happens when someone loves their animal dearly but simply doesn't know where to turn?
I already had the research in front of me. So I started sharing it.
That simple decision grew into Paws & Pals Houston.
Today, I research low-cost spay and neuter programs, vaccinations, microchipping, veterinary care, pet food assistance, adoption resources, and other services throughout Greater Houston. I don't want someone in Rosharon, Rosenberg, Galveston, Texas City, Webster, Friendswood, or another surrounding community to believe help doesn't exist simply because they couldn't find it.
Animals have always had a special place in my heart.
Years ago, I earned my veterinary assistant certification because I dreamed of working with animals. Life, however, took me in another direction. I built a career with the Internal Revenue Service and, years later, continued that career of helping people by establishing my own tax preparation business.
But my desire to help animals never disappeared.
Because of a mobility limitation, I once wondered how I could meaningfully contribute to animal welfare when traditional shelter volunteering wasn't practical for me.
Now I know.
Paws & Pals became my way of volunteering.
My computer became my workspace. Social media became my outreach center. Research became my tool for helping animals and the people who love them.
Some mornings I wake up and answer pet parents before beginning tax work. Some nights I'm still researching resources when I should probably be sleeping. In between, I'm caring for my own two dogs, Eric the IV and Squeaky.
And somehow, it gets done.
Paws & Pals is still growing, and I hope to build it into a sustainable business. But I never want growth to change its heart. There should always be somewhere a pet parent can come for information without first being asked for a credit card.
Eric needed a dental cleaning.
I thought I was simply trying to help my dog.
Instead, he helped me discover another part of my purpose.
Sometimes the thing you're meant to do doesn't arrive according to plan. Sometimes it begins with a problem you solve for yourself—and the realization that your solution might help someone else, too.
