Fort Worth shelter dogs are getting more room to run and reset this winter thanks to a significant donation made in their honor.
A $72,000 gift from longtime animal advocate and former Fort Worth shelter volunteer Ransome Hughes Rombauer has funded new fencing at the Silcox Animal Shelter. The upgrade created multiple smaller play yards, giving more dogs the chance to safely spend time outdoors, socialize and enjoy daily enrichment.
Rombauer’s connection to the shelter began years before the donation. While attending Southern Methodist University in 2017, she regularly drove to Fort Worth to walk, feed and play with dogs at the Silcox facility. She fostered and adopted several animals from Fort Worth Animal Care and Control (FWACC), often bringing them home during school breaks.
Though she eventually returned to California, her commitment to shelter animals continued. The Rombauer family now cares for seven rescue dogs at their Napa Valley home, including four from Texas. Ransome has three rescue dogs of her own at her horse farm, two of which are Great Pyrenees adopted from FWACC.
In 2023, her family established the Double R Family Foundation (DRFF), a philanthropic fund dedicated to community support with a strong focus on animal welfare. The foundation helps transport animals from overcrowded shelters, assists with disaster response for displaced pets and supports programs that improve the well-being of working equines in India and Pakistan. DRFF also backs local efforts in Napa Valley, including hospice programs and food banks.
One of the foundation’s most impactful gifts has been to FWACC. The new play yards at Silcox offer much more than extra space. They allow shelter dogs to relax, socialize and show their personalities — all factors that improve their chances of adoption.
The project was completed with the support of Cowtown Friends of FWACC, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of animals in Fort Worth. The group built a close relationship with Rombauer and her family over the years and helped move the fencing project from concept to completion.
