It was love at first sight. Their eyes locked together. “I didn’t go looking to adopt another dog,” said Park Place Lexus Grapevine’s GM Charles Owen. “But seeing how sweet Zeke was just made me want him!”
A team from Park Place Dealerships recently visited the Apollo Support & Rescue in Justin to present the no-kill animal shelter with a Season of Giving grant.
While there, a man pulled up to surrender a 5-year-old Bernese Mountain dog.
“Unfortunately, this is not at all uncommon,” explained Danielle Stewart, Apollo Support & Rescue founder. “Many days we arrive to find abandoned animals tied to our fence. It’s really heartbreaking.”
A week later the Owen family went back to Apollo to adopt Zeke. Charles’ wife April had reservations at first. They already had Cona, a one-year-old black Labrador. And everyone knows how puppies can be a handful. But Zeke won April over, too.
“April has become the Dog Mom! Zeke helped with Cona’s puppy phase. And Zeke needed someone like April, who would give him around the clock love. Those two are something special. He doesn’t take his eyes off her.”
Charles says Zeke is the biggest lap dog ever! “He has to be right next to you and touching you at all times. He likes to play and run with Cona, but is also content laying on the couch right next to you. The way he looks at you is the sweetest thing it’s almost like he is smiling.”
Park Place Cares delivered $100,000 in grants to a total of 18 non-profits across DFW.
The non-profits included: Sixty & Better in Arlington; Academy 4 (Ft. Worth); Primo’s (Dallas); Vogel (Dallas); Mammogram Poster Girls (Dallas); Hope Center 4 Autism (Ft. Worth); Evan’s Avengers (Denton); Annie’s Place (Dallas); Camp Summit (Dallas); The Vitamin Bridge (Coppell); Carry the Load (Dallas); Airborne Angel Cadets of Texas (Farmers Branch); Canine Companions (Irving); Community Caring Center (Azle); Heroes For Children (Plano); Children’s Advocacy Center for North Texas (Lewisville) and Ability Connection (Irving).
“I know it was a hard decision for Zeke’s previous owners to take him to Apollo,” said Charles. “I hope they know Zeke found his forever home and gets all the love and attention he wants!”
Park Place Dealerships was founded in 1987 and has been engaged in the community through its support of the arts, medical research, children’s advocacy, and education.
Park Place employs more than 1,400 members and operates eight full-service dealerships representing luxury brands including Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Acura, and Land Rover. Park Place Bodywerks Collision Centers in Fort Worth and Dallas, and the Park Place Auto Auction, round out the company’s offerings. Park Place was acquired in 2020 by Asbury Automotive Group, Inc., a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Duluth, GA. For more information, visit parkplace.com.