When most people drive down an ordinary street, they might see someone sleeping on a porch or a car waiting at a stoplight.
But for Zully Vasquez Ventura, what others saw as everyday scenes were lives in need of help.
After relocating with her family to a rural part of Cleveland, Texas, Zully began noticing something alarming: stray dogs were everywhere — wandering in empty lots, dodging traffic, searching for food or water, and clearly struggling to survive under the hot Texas sun.
Gradually, what started as a concern grew into a mission that would change thousands of lives.
At first, Zully’s actions were small but impactful. She didn’t ignore the dogs she saw — she stopped for them.
She started carrying dog food and water in her car, ready to help the animals she encountered during her daily drive.
One dog might be thin and hesitant, another covered in scars, and yet another hiding in tall grass; but for Zully, each one was a life worth saving.
Few people in her community were addressing the issue, largely because Liberty County did not have an animal control program or shelter, leaving strays with no systematic support.
Then came a moment that shifted everything.
While driving one day, Zully spotted a red Labrador-mix dog with clear signs of abuse — burn wounds down his back, sores, and a fearful gaze.
It wasn’t just another stray. He needed real help.
But after she posted his photos on social media and didn’t get an immediate response, she realized her next step had to be direct action.
That marked the beginning of something far bigger than a single rescue.
With better networking and persistence, that dog — later named Rusty — was taken in by a rescue organization called This Is Houston Rescue and treated for his injuries.
His recovery and adoption became a turning point for Zully, proving that compassion could make a difference.
From that day on, she was committed to helping every dog she could. Her eyes were opened not just to individual animals, but to a communitywide problem of irresponsible dumping, abandonment, and lack of support for animals in her region.
What followed was nothing short of remarkable.
Zully didn’t just continue to pull over for every stray dog she saw; she became a central figure in a grassroots animal rescue movement.
She documented the animals she encountered with photos and notes about their condition and behavior, and posted these to social platforms and networks that connect rescues with volunteers.
Those posts often led to foster care, medical treatment, and ultimately — adoption.
Her efforts multiplied over time. Neighbors and strangers alike joined in, bringing food, supplies, and manpower to help feed, treat, and relocate dogs.
Zully also co-founded a nonprofit organization called The Daily Kibble of Cleveland, TX, focused on feeding, vaccinating, rescuing, and spay/neuter outreach to reduce the number of animals left to fend for themselves.
What once began as a personal reaction to stray dogs became an organized effort to address systemic needs in her area.
Today, Zully’s work has led to more than 5,000 dogs rescued and counting.
That figure isn’t about claiming credit — it’s about impact: lifesaving surgeries, treatment for injuries, rehabilitation of fearful animals, and, most importantly, thousands of dogs finding homes or safe foster care.
Even after giving birth to her baby girl in 2025, Zully was back on the streets with food and supplies, showing that her resolve isn’t weakened by personal demands or life changes.
Yet her mission hasn’t been without emotional cost. Zully openly acknowledges the pain of watching dogs she couldn’t save — animals that were too sick, too frightened, or too neglected.
She says she cries for them, feeling strongly that even if she personally can only help some, doing nothing for all is not an option.
It’s a powerful reflection of the emotional weight that comes with compassion — the ache for unfinished stories, even amid so many success stories.
But that same compassion is what inspires others to lend a hand.
Through community awareness, direct rescue actions, and social media outreach, Zully’s work has encouraged people far beyond Cleveland to think differently about stray animals.
Her story raises awareness not just of dogs in need, but of what any individual can do when they refuse to look away.
This isn’t a tale of perfect rescue conditions or vast resources.
It’s a story of empathy — one person’s willingness to stop, to care, and to follow that instinct again and again until it became a mission capable of transforming thousands of lives.
And for every dog saved, that one moment of stopping instead of driving on made all the difference.
