PAWS is People Teens Helping Animals

This list of service projects is the creative output of 19 teens who participated in the first-ever PAWS Teen Club, held weekly last summer.

• Starting a blog about how to transition cats to a fully indoor lifestyle.

• Creating a video game about why it is important for cats to wear collars.

• Planting habitat that is beneficial to both the community and native wildlife.

• Putting a free pet pantry in the lower income parts of my neighborhood.

• Starting a humane education club at my high school.

• Preventing people from feeding wildlife with signage in my neighborhood.

Bailey Gilbert, PAWS Education Coordinator, says: “I know how passionate teens are. They are dreaming about what they want to be when they grow up and it’s crucial there are spaces for them to discover those passions.”

Bailey acknowledges the PAWS Teen Club is intensive and not for your everyday animal-loving teen. She developed requirements to ensure each member was committed to the five core goals:

1. Investigate and develop solutions to issues facing companion animals and wildlife.

2. Learn about animal-related careers.

3. Engage in service projects.

4. Promote a greater understanding of the biodiversity of their community.

5. Foster public speaking and leadership skills.

Bailey is gearing up for PAWS Teen Club 2022 and considers herself lucky to interact with people who will be future advocates for animals.

As for the teens, hearing about animal-related careers from guest speakers and doing a service project were favorite features. One added, “I liked meeting other teens who are also interested in helping animals.” Another appreciated “always ending each session in laughs.”

Know a teen interested in applying for PAWS Teen Club 2022? Visit paws.org/TeenClub to learn more.

For more content related to this story, visit paws.org/Spring2022.