Daryani with Blue (L) and Juno (R)
The husband and father of two, together with his family, has called Lake Highlands home for almost a decade.
With a background in non-profit and government sectors, Daryani says he jumped at the chance to work with Operation Kindness, the largest and oldest no-kill animal shelter in North Texas.
"I never imagined being in an executive level position at an animal non-profit that I could believe in – because there are so few in North Texas, meaning just one," he says.
"When the position at OK opened up 3½ years ago, I jumped at the chance to apply, and fortunately I was selected. It's been a great fit."
In his position as Executive Director for Operation Kindness, Daryani is charged with the rescue and care of over 3,000 animals each year.
It's a task he lists among his top passions.
"Half of our animals come from shelters where they have run out of time," he explains.
"The other half are either strays found by kind people or they are 'owner surrenders,' given to us by their owners because they can no longer take care of them due to financial problems or a change in life situation."
"Humans domesticated them, so we should care for them in a way that they are not overpopulated and homeless, being euthanized in alarmingly high numbers."
There are also misconceptions that Daryani and the Operation Kindness team work hard to dispel.
"Many people think that shelter animals have something wrong with them or are only mixed breeds," he says.
"That is not true. Most shelter animals are perfectly healthy and sweet animals that will be wonderful pets."
Case in point: the Daryani family's furry members, a husky/shepherd mix named Blue and their lab/dachshund known as Juno, are both Operation Kindness alum.
And what about folks who are interested in a particular breed?
"As long as people are patient, they can find virtually any breed they're looking for at a shelter, whether a Poodle, Great Dane or Labradooodle."
So aside from the rescue and care of thousands of animals, what keeps Daryani busy on days that don't find him at the shelter? The short answer is family.
"My wife Amy and I have been married almost 12 years, and we have two sons, Connor who is ten and Owen who's seven."
"We try to lead by example for our boys by being active in causes we believe in, whether they be political, environmental, or social. The boys both love Lake Highlands Elementary and being in the outdoors."
"I think they would be camping all the time if they could. As a family we enjoy camping, hiking, sports and art. And the kids' love of music rivals mine."
The Daryanis also have a lot of extended family in town and have recently discovered the hobby of Geocaching, a treasure hunting game where participants use a GPS to hide and seek containers.
"It's a great way to spend time with the boys!"
Another option for spending time together is volunteering with Operation Kindness.
"OK is a wonderful place to volunteer," say Daryani. "Our shelter is a very happy and hopeful place."
"There are multiple ways to volunteer, whether it is playing with the cats in the free-roaming cat room and porch or walking the dogs on our beautiful wooded four-acre property."
"Kids ages six and up are welcome to volunteer with their parents. It's a great way to teach your kids to give back to the community in a fun way."
Operation Kindness is currently in the process of expanding its space for dogs. By year's end, the number of dogs available for adoption will double.
To learn more about Operation Kindness, visit the group's website and Facebook page, where you can find details about the FOX/Channel 4 Saturday morning show that highlights adoptees.
Already a member? Log in.
Forgot your password? Click here.