www.khou.com/news/lo cal/Six-year-old-gir l-uses-birthday-to-h elp-homeless-do Pay it Forward: 6-year-old girl uses birthday to help homeless dogsby Brad Woodard / KHOU 11 Newskhou.comPost on December 5, 2013 at 11:30 AMHOUSTON -- You'll find them lurking in the shadows of Houston -- man's best friend abandoned -- but not forgotten by people like Erin Bouton. She’s among six volunteers who visit Melrose Park twice daily, bringing food and water to homeless dogs.“They just keep coming,” said Bouton.It's no small irony, that Harris County Animal Control is directly across the street, but the park is in city territory.“So unless a dog is physically in their gates, they will do nothing,” said Bouton. “And they drive by and see it every day.”The Melrose Park Neglected Dogs project runs solely on donations. That's where Annaleise Kimmell comes in. She recently turned six, and in lieu of gifts at her birthday party, she requested that guests bring donations to help the dogs at Melrose Park.“Parks are supposed to be happy places, and Melrose Park is full of sad dogs that don't have homes,” said Kimmell.It’s a tremendous insight from a tiny girl who aspires to one day become a veterinarian.It took two SUVs fully loaded to deliver the donations.“I think she's phenomenal,” said Bouton. “It's just the best thing, asking somebody else to do something for her birthday. She's a hero.” 4951