There are millions of animals that coexist with humans on this planet, sharing homes, farms and even the wild. Those animals can feel emotion, pain, and happiness just like people, which is why the animal welfare club strives to promote animal health and happiness, president, junior Desiree Poon said.

Poon said she was first interested in animal welfare after volunteering at a farm and getting hooked on a youtube channel that talked about animal abandonment and animal rescues.

Becoming a member of the animal welfare club was a big step toward learning more about her interest in the animal world, Poon said. 

“Joining [the club] has allowed me to see how there are so many [ways] we can actually help animals, and I want to help spread awareness about it in [my] school community,” Poon said. 

The goal of the club is to support the animal community, Poon said, and in order to accomplish this, the officers find ways to support shelters like making cat and dog toys and donating them. 

As a smaller club, junior officer Alyssa Miyai said the club has been holding frequent events and meetings to spark interest.

“We try to associate the upcoming holidays and events with animals to raise awareness for the month, such as Easter and bunnies or Halloween and cats,” Miyai, a freshman, said. “There’s not a lot of other clubs out there who are willing to advocate for animals, and it’s just good to have a voice in this issue.” 

Miyai said she hopes to have a larger role in the club in her upcoming high school years because she wants to make a bigger impact on the school community.

“I want to make more people aware of the way humans can [negatively affect] animals, and to hopefully make a difference for them,” Miyai said.

Club member, sophomore Devishi Mishra said her animal knowledge has vastly expanded since joining the club.

​​“[Something I didn’t know before is how] cat cafes are kind of problematic because they put a lot of stress on the cats, even though it’s something really popular in today’s world,” Mishra said.

Not only does the club promote important topics, but it is also a fun and relaxing environment where members get to participate in different activities with their friends, club member Leela Menon said.

Furthermore, the animal community is also a part of the school community, Poon said, as many students on campus own pets, but don’t necessarily know how to properly take care of them.

“A lot of people at the school have pets, so I think it’s just good to let them have their voice,” Miyai said, “because although they might not be at school themselves, they’re still a part of our community.”