7-year-old has idea to help charities through family’s café, raises over $1,000 for local horse rescue

RIVERVIEW, Fla. - RVR Horse Rescue is home to some of the biggest domesticated animals and some of the smallest breeds. Being a non-profit, they rely on those with the biggest hearts even if they happen to have some of the smallest of feet.

Delanie Dennis is a young girl with a huge heart – and a love for animals. The 7-year-old raised about $10,000 for animals and charities.

"She's a worker,” said Andy Dennis, Delanie’s father. “I mean, she'll come out here and she'll work. She'll help with the horses, walks the horses, brush the horses. I hope and pray that she keeps that mentality and doesn't lose it and use up all of her work ethic when she's seven.”

Delanie has been volunteering a little bit of her time at the horse rescue’s new home in Plant City. Her father has a café, Delanie’s Lemonade Stand, appropriately named after his daughter. She decided to take a portion of certain menu items and put them towards charities with animals.

"It takes a special person to work with animals – whether it’s dogs, cats, horses…you have to have patience. You have to be able to read animals and look at them,” Andy said. “She's in her element.”

In December, the chosen charity was RVR Horse Rescue. The effort raised $1,109.25. Delanie has always been an animal lover and as of nine months ago, an animal activist.

"Well they’re cute,” she told FOX 13. “I love petting them and I also kiss the animals.”

"People at RVR…we look at her as our future,” said Kelly Ford, a spokesperson for the horse rescue. “That’s what we want to see coming up the ranks and take over in our mission. Someone like Delanie is already so aware and so active. You meet someone like Delanie and you know they’re going to have an impact on the world."