Generous donation transforms play yards at Silcox Animal Shelter
Published on November 20, 2025
This winter, Fort Worth shelter dogs will have more room to run, roam, and reset, thanks to a transformative gift.
A $72,000 gift from longtime animal lover and former volunteer Ransome Hughes Rombauer has funded the installation of new fencing at the Silcox Animal Shelter. The upgrade has allowed FWACC to fence off several smaller play yards, meaning more shelter dogs can safely enjoy the outdoors, socialize, and soak up the sun each day.
Ransome, a Fort Worth shelter volunteer during her college years, left a lasting impact long before this donation. While studying at Southern Methodist University in 2017, she regularly drove to Fort Worth to walk, feed, and play with shelter dogs. Ransome fostered and adopted dogs from FWACC, many of whom she brought home during Christmas and summer breaks.
Though she later returned home to California, her heart remained with the dogs at Silcox. The Rombauer family currently has seven rescue dogs at their Napa Valley home, including four from Texas. Ransome herself has three rescue dogs at her horse farm, including two Great Pyrenees from FWACC.
In 2023, her family launched the Double R Family Foundation, a charitable fund focused on supporting communities including animal welfare organizations like FWACC. The family works to support the transport of animals from overcrowded shelters, aid animals during domestic disasters, and support programs improving the lives of working equines in India and Pakistan. In addition to animal welfare, the DRFF has supported programs benefiting local philanthropic efforts in the Napa Valley that fund hospice programs and local food banks.
One of the foundation’s major gifts was to Fort Worth Animal Care and Control, ensuring that dogs awaiting adoption could enjoy healthier, happier shelter lives. The newly erected play yards provide more than just space, they offer enrichment, companionship, and a greater chance at successful adoption. With more room to play and decompress, dogs can show their best selves to potential families.
This gift was made possible with support from Cowtown Friends of FWACC, a nonprofit committed to saving and improving the lives of animals. The organization developed a strong bond with Ransome and her family over the years and helped guide the project from idea to reality.
Fort Worth Animal Care and Control is deeply grateful for the generosity of Ransome and her family, and for the tireless support of Cowtown Friends. Together, they are creating a brighter future for the animals who need it most.
To learn more or to support animals in our care, visit our website.