If you help rescue over 1,300 dogs and look like this,
chances are you're gonna end up on my show.
He was just named ASPCA's 2018 Kid of the Year, take a look.
I would like to thank the ASPCA for naming
me the 2018 Kid of the Year.
I care so much about helping animals and shelters
because I believe they deserve more than a life in a kennel.
It's very important for me to help these animals get out
of shelters and into loving homes
where they will be loved, treated how they deserve,
and made a part of the family.
From Augusta, Georgia, please welcome 7-year-old Roman
McConn.
Hi!
All right, well, I love what you did,
so congratulations for winning.
How did you feel when you won?
I felt very excited and tons of other happy things.
Yeah, lots of happiness inside.
Uh-huh.
So you're seven years old.
Yes, I am.
When did you start helping animals?
I started helping animals when I was four?
Uh-huh, and what made you want to start helping animals?
So when we lived in Texas and I would
see that there were dogs outside of PetSmart
that were just in crates with a tiny bed in them,
and I wanted to get them--
for them to get adopted.
Right, OK, but a lot of people think that,
but they just kind of go home and go on with their lives.
But you decided you wanted to do something about it.
I did cause they don't need a life in a kennel,
I mean, they should be running free,
but I don't mean like running free free.
Yeah, yeah.
I mean like, they just--
In a yard--
In their home.
Yes, they should be at somebody's home.
That's so great that you do that.
So you help-- you make videos to show how cute the animals are--
Uh-huh.
--right, and talk about why they deserve a home.
Mm-hm.
There's all these videos that you've
made with all these dogs, and so you go to the shelter
and make the videos?
Yes, we make the videos for the dogs so they can get adopted.
Right, and then do you only do dogs or other animals?
We do other animals, because I actually I once made
a video of a guinea pig.
Oh, really?
His name was Niblet.
Niblet, and did Niblet get adopted?
He got a home as fast as a dog would.
Oh, that's fantastic.
[AUDIENCE CHEERING]
I love that you're doing this, you know that,
because I love animals and I love that someone
your age already is starting to care about animals,
because there's a lot of animals in shelters
that need homes right now.
Tons of animals right now.
Yeah, a lot of them.
So why do you love helping animals so much?
What is it about animals?
Well, I love helping animals because, well, they
get a life in a kennel?
What kind of life is that?
It's not a good one, no, and they offer so much love,
don't they?
They make you feel happy.
Yes!
They make you feel like your house is complete with a dog,
or your family is complete.
Yeah, I know I sometimes look at kids
that don't have pets in their homes
and I'm thinking that's not right,
they should grow up with pets.
Everybody should have a pet.
I mean, it doesn't have to be a dog, but it could be a cat,
it could be--
it could be basically anything, as long
as it's just not something that came from a breeder.
Yeah.
[ELLEN LAUGHING]
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
Yes, because we first should empty out all the shelters--
Yes, and then go for something else.
Yes.
I mean, not to rat on breeders but they're just
not really in need right--
I under-- yes, I understand.
So what did your friends say about this when
they saw that you won this?
So my friends say that they really
like it when I took it in for show-and-tell in my class,
and they all wanted to help.
Yeah, oh, that's good, so you're inspiring other kids
to do that.
Uh-huh.
That's great, and you have a new goal.
What's your goal?
So my goal is to get every dog in the US adopted.
Every dog in the US?
Every dog.
Well, that means we are going to have to help him.
Everybody has to go out and rescue a dog today.
I mean, everybody.
Maybe one or two.
Yeah, or two, if all of you can--
if you have room, get two, and if you don't, just get one.
Well, I have a gift you can bring to show-and-tell as well.
You're gonna get the first ever Ellen Show Dog Rescuer
Award of the Year.
Cool!
Yeah.
[AUDIENCE CHEERING AND APPLAUDING]
That's for you.
That is so cool!
Isn't it good?
All right.
Thank you!
You're welcome.
It's heavy, I'll put it here.
And one more thing, my friends at Cheerios
think that you're setting a great example for other kids
with your Acts of Good, and I couldn't
agree more so we're gonna give you a check for $20,000.
[AUDIENCE CHEERING AND APPLAUDING]
All right?
[? OK! ?]
Oh my god.
All right, I want to hear about your Acts of Good.
Go to our website, tell me what you're doing,
and we'll be right back.
Hi, I'm Andy.
Ellen asked me to remind you to subscribe to her channel
so you can see more awesome videos, like videos
of me getting scared or saying embarrassing things like "ball
peen hammer," and also some videos of Ellen
and other celebrities, if you're into that sort of thing.
[SCREAMING]
[BLEEP] God [BLEEP]!