Animal Lovin’ at Vandy
One of the hardest parts about leaving home was saying goodbye to my dogs Tommy and Sophie. Tommy is in doggie heaven right now, probably chasing squirrels. So, my golden retriever Sophie is the only sibling I have left. Needless to say, meeting her at an interval of five months is one of the downsides of studying in a different continent. In times like these, I am grateful for FaceTime.
I have always been an animal lover and thus, I was keen on being in contact with them at Vandy too. The only pet allowed in our dorm rooms is fish, but sorry, that’s not going to satiate me! After I got accepted, I did a lot of research on the student organizations on campus and one of them caught my eye: Vandy PAWS.
Vandy PAWS is a student organization that helps connect students with rescued animals around Nashville. It partners with the Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary, PetSmart, The Nashville Humane Association (NHA) and other animal welfare groups to provide opportunities to Vanderbilt’s students to contribute to animal welfare by volunteering for dogs, cats and occasionally horses as well.
I signed up to be a member of Vandy PAWS at the massive student interest fair at the beginning of my first semester. After a few weeks, I got the opportunity to go to the nearby PetSmart with a few other students to volunteer for rescued puppies and kittens. The term ‘volunteer’ sounds rather dull for essentially cuddling and playing with some of the cutest and lovable animals a.k.a having the most relaxing and fulfilling experience!
Over the fall semester, Vandy PAWS held several events. In addition to the weekly trips to PetSmart, students also volunteered at NHA, where they received special training for handling animals.
Apart from service trips, Vandy PAWS aims to create awareness about different issues in animal welfare. I am a volunteer at Tiger Trust India, a not-for-profit organization that works for tiger conservation. My experience as a volunteer for Tiger Trust has opened my eyes to the role of the local and national government offices whose policy decisions have a great impact on conservation efforts. Last semester, Vandy PAWS invited Leighann Lassiter, Tennessee State Director of the Humane Society, to give a presentation on the roles of public policy and the justice system in the world of animal welfare. Her insight helped me and other students learn more about issues such as puppy mills, the treatment of Tennessee walking horses and cock-fighting.
In December, Vandy PAWS sent out applications for various positions on its executive board. I applied too and now, I am the Social Chair, managing social media platforms such as Facebook and Anchor Link. I am lucky that even as a first-year, I am able to work with upperclassmen on the executive board for causes closest to my heart.
Recently, we had our general body meeting to involve more students in animal welfare. Most organizations have free pizza to attract students. While we didn’t get pizza, we got something even better: my fellow board member, Stephanie’s black labrador, Marley. She mingled with all the students, winning everyone’s hearts and serving as the best ambassador we could have asked for.
We have many events lined up this semester. One of the events I am most excited for is Puppy Play Day. Just before finals in the spring semester, Vandy PAWS brings puppies to campus so that over-stressed students can relax and indulge in much-needed puppy therapy. Through this event, we also raise funds for several animal welfare organizations. We have big plans for this year’s Puppy Play Day and we hope that if you’re on campus, you can make it!
I will keep updating y’all about Vandy PAWS and its events in the coming weeks. Please do follow us on Facebook to learn more about us.