AUSTIN (KXAN) — KXAN mascot Kaxan celebrated his 8th Rescue Day Tuesday. It was May 19, 2012, when a scruffy, little white dog with a cute underbite showed up in the alley behind the KXAN newsroom. He was dirty and skinny but full of personality. A KXAN photographer brought him inside where a news producer immediately nicknamed him “Kaxan,” and the rest is history.
Our KXAN News family saw something special in this little dog, making him our official station mascot.
Kaxan quickly gained local celebrity status, making many newscast appearances over the past eight years to promote animal welfare and rescue events. His volunteer work in the community has helped raise tens of thousands of dollars for area animal non-profit organizations.
With some training, Kaxan also became an official therapy dog with Divine Canines. He has visited Fort Hood Soldiers who are suffering from PTSD and war injuries, rehab & acute care patients at hospitals, special needs kids and seniors at assisted living homes.
Kaxan is also part of Barking Book Buddies, a successful reading program for children with dyslexia. He reads with his buddy at St. Elmo Elementary School every week during the school year.
Kaxan was nominated for an American Humane Heroes Dog Award last year. He was the only therapy dog in Texas with a nomination and a top-three finalist in the nation.
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