North’s Animal Advocacy Club is a group of students dedicated to animal welfare through volunteer opportunities, club meetings, social media awareness, and fundraising with bake sales and GoFundMes.
The club is partnering with Off the Rocks Animal Rescue and the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA) to advocate for animal welfare. The club has already participated in two volunteering events this year, with more to come in the near future, according to sophomore Sophie Stockton, a club officer.
She added that the Animal Advocacy Club focuses on several key goals, promoting pet adoption in local shelters, educating students about responsible pet ownership, organizing and hosting events, fundraising for shelters, conducting donation drives, meeting with guest speakers, volunteering at animal shelters, and creating supplies for shelters during club meetings.
The club has recently begun progressing toward these objectives through volunteer opportunities and meetings. For example, on Sunday, Oct. 27, members volunteered at Off the Rocks Animal Rescue in Wellesley, where they assisted the shelter with various tasks.
“We played with cats and helped clean up the shelter. We sorted prescriptions for the animals in the shelter. It was a great experience,” said sophomore Rhea Khanna, a club officer. “We were so glad to make a difference in the welfare of animals,” she added.
According to Stockton the volunteer opportunity in October was the club’s first.
“I think it was a wonderful first event. I feel like this event unified the club, and we experienced a bunch of bonding,” said Stockton. “Helping while playing with the animals was such an interesting experience. Seeing what goes on in the shelter was really cool,” she added.
The club’s most recent volunteer opportunity took place at Off the Rocks Animal Rescue again Sunday, Dec. 1.
“At this volunteer event, we helped older volunteers at the shelter by promoting the Giving Tuesday event on social media. It was a perfect opportunity to help promote the shelter and help the older community within the shelter with social media,” said Stockton.
Off the Rocks raises money for vet bills and costs for the animals through a GoFundMe, Khanna said, “It was really cool to see how rescue agencies promote their business through social media, and gain clarity through GoFundMe.”
Sophomore Zara Lookner, a club member, said, “I am so glad I got to experience this volunteer opportunity. Getting to play with the cats, help raise money, and work with the Off the Rocks organization was really great.”
The club also has future plans for bringing awareness to the animal welfare legislative laws by partnering with the MSPCA, according to Stockton.
“We are partnering with the MSPCA to join a youth advocacy Zoom call for animal welfare and the Buddy Dog Humane Society in the near future,” Stockton added.
The club is also partnering with Service Stars, an organization that provides volunteering opportunities to kids.
“We will help little kids make pet toys, and send in participants of our club to go in and speak to them about the changes our club has made in the animal welfare world,” said Khanna.
The club meets every other Tiger in 453, and is looking for more interested members, according to Stockton.