Justin Strawser isn’t an average 13-year-old.

At his young age, Justin is an active advocate for abused and “unloved” animals internationally.

Just ask his parents, Cherie and Craig Smith.

In October, Justin convinced Cherie and Craig to adopt Sweet Pea, a timid dog rescued by the non-profit group Dogs Deserve Better.

Dogs Deserve Better works to get dogs off of chains and into homes with loving families.

Recently, Justin used his money acquired through a savings account and Christmas cash gifts to do what his mother called a “very unselfish thing to do.”

Justin met Sweet Pea last October at Woofstock, a dog festival in Harrisburg, Penn. The family had originally attended the event in hopes of finding a trainer for Justin’s first dog, Lacy.

While at Woofstock, Justin eyed a dog (Sweet Pea) in an orange vest that read “Adopt Me.”

“You could see his heart just melted,” Cherie said of that first encounter with Sweet Pea.

Justin pleaded with his mother and his step-father, who was a little harder to convince. Of course, the parents ultimately gave in.

But Sweet Pea was different than Lacy.

She was shy at first, but quickly warmed up to Justin and his parents.

Justin tried to shower his new pet with gifts of treats and toys.

Sweet Pea was confused -- she didn’t know what treats were and didn’t know how to play with toys. Her previous owners hadn’t given her either.

“Eventually though, Sweet Pea caught on that toys are for fun and treats are delicious,” Cherie wrote in a letter to Dogs Deserve Better.

“I didn’t want any dog to feel like that,” Justin said.

The teen meant it.

The family received several newsletters from Dogs Deserve Better after adopting Sweet Pea. It was there that Justin found a program to sponsor a dog for a Christmas gift.

“I asked him, which one do you want to sponsor? He said all of them,” Cherie said.

“I wasn’t surprised with his decision to buy the gifts. He's very giving young man. But I was surprised that he wanted to buy a gift for each dog,” Craig said.

Justin got to work.

With newly acquired Christmas gift money and his own savings account, Justin spent $400 to purchase gifts for all 25 dogs on the list.

One such dog was in Beatrice.

It wasn’t until March when Gayla Hausman, the Beatrice area representative for Dogs Deserve Better, opened a gift with a letter from Cherie.

Yes, it was late, Cherie admitted, but buying toys, treats and beds for dogs all over the United States, including some internationally, took a lot of time.

She wrote about Justin and Sweet Pea and how much her son was moved by the work Dogs Deserve Better does.

“I feel good that they take the dogs off of their chains when they don’t have loving or someone caring for them. They take them and bring them into their home. I feel good that other dogs get rescued like my dog,” Justin said.

“What a touching letter,” Hausman said. “I thought, what an unselfish thing. I couldn’t believe this boy did this.”

The Beatrice dog received a toy, treats and a bed.

“It was exactly what we had on our list,” Hausman said.

Justin wasn’t satisfied with just helping these dogs, though. He has since created a Web site, www.donatetoysfordogs.com, to give information on donating to different groups that help animals.

He has since decided to become a veterinarian, have his own practice, but also regular travel to shelters and rescues to give low-cost or no-cost treatment.

Cherie said she’s very impressed by the work her son has done for all of the dogs he’s helped.

“It warmed my heart. I’m so proud of him,” she said.