Make a “Paw”some Impact

Make a “Paw”some Impact

With the school year in full swing, stress is definitely creeping in for many SNU students.  If you are a dog lover (and who are we kidding, of course you are!) here is the best, free, fun, foolproof solution:

drive a few minutes down to Pets and People Humane Society to play and walk dogs and puppies for however long you want, whatever days you want!  

Pets and People Humane Society is a volunteer-run shelter filled with dogs of all breeds and sizes in need of walks, playtime and your best puppy-dog voice.  A group of SNU students, John Haile, Zac Chamberlain and Luis Guerra, volunteered this past week to walk dogs. They had an amazing time helping out.

Senior Luis Guerra spent time walking two dogs, a border collie named Bonnie and a very playful “melting pot dog” named Possum.  Luis said he felt like he was doing something great for these two dogs but wanted to do more.

He wants to encourage more students to go volunteer, saying, “Those dogs just need more people to play with; there’s not enough time for all these guys to get the attention they want and deserve. And just seeing the dogs’ happy faces and wagging tails makes it worth the time!”

Guerra added that volunteering was, “the most positive experience of my semester” and that he plans on returning every Thursday to do his part.  

Senior John Haile also got to spend time with a few dogs.  Haile talked about how happy he felt while playing with the pups and that his highlight was “taking a breather with this dog, Amelia.  She started jumping in my face trying to lick me. It was really cute, and I would absolutely do it again!”

Senior Zac Chamberlain spent his time walking a pit mix and a Husky named Tiki who had a neurological disorder that affected her ability to walk.

Tiki and her condition brought to light another reason why more students need to volunteer at the shelter: some of the dogs have conditions that make it harder for them to find forever homes.  Despite their disabilities, these animals still need care while they are at the shelter.

Chamberlain spoke about how volunteering with the dogs was just one way to help steward God’s creation.  He also talked about his wish to adopt some of the dogs, but as a college student, he doesn’t have the physical space or financial ability to do so.  

If you feel the same as Chamberlain, Pets and People Humane Society allows volunteers to commit to a specific shelter dog and dedicate daily time to help train and care for that dog while they are waiting for a caring family.

Committing that much time as a student can be difficult, but if you are a dog lover and want to contribute to caring for these amazing animals, Pets and People Humane Society is in need of dog walkers every day from 4 to 7 p.m.  Volunteers are given one dog at a time and are asked to walk or play with their dog for at least 17 minutes but are allowed to play longer.

Overall, this is a great opportunity for SNU students to take a break from studying and play with these loving animals while making a difference in their day-to-day lives.

(Picture by Alexey Bolshako from Flikr.com)