Club name: Animal C.A.R.E. (Compassion, Advocacy, Respect, Education)

Website: http://msklcampbell.googlepages.com/animalc.a.r.e.

Email: msklcampbell@gmail.com

Location: Sweetwater Union High School, National City, California

Number of members: 100 and growing

Club president: Federico Martinez

Advisor: Kristina Campbell

Mission: Animal C.A.R.E. is an on-campus club started for animals by animal lovers. The club provides students with a range of animal-related activities and causes. Compassion for animals, Advocacy on behalf of animals, Respect for, and Education on and about animals are major themes club members embrace.

To date, club members have committed hundreds of hours to a variety of campaigns/community service activities.  Our issues that club members are most passionate about: Saving the Seal Colony ( La Jolla, CA), encouraging all pet owners to spay and neuter, boycotting circuses with animals, adopting from animal shelters and rescue organizations.

Club history: The club was started by the advisor because there was both a need and an interest. What young person does not love animals? I grew up loving animals, and wished there had been a club like Animal C.A.R.E. when I was in high school.  One of the great things about the club is that all it takes is a desire and commitment to making a difference for animals. Students don't have to be academically brilliant or an athlete. In essence, anyone can participate.

Activities and efforts to help animals:

UPDATE: Since being featured on the HumaneTeen site, we've been contacted by several individuals wanting to start Animal C.A.R.E. chapters at their respective schools. This is very exciting for us.  We were also contacted by Nickelodeon, who are interested in featuring our work on pet overpopulation on their show.  WOW!

We are currently working on dogfighting, spay and neuter, and puppy mills simultaneously.  We are hosting 10 low cost spay neuter clinics (on campus) and are protesting a mall pet shop each Saturday. We aired one of the HSUS PSAs on reporting dogfighting to a whole-school audience (2,500).  The PSA was very powerful.  Not only could you hear a pin drop, but from some of the student's reactions, we definitely have work to do in our community. 

• Animal C.A.R.E. has been involved in countless activities. We have hosted SNAP (Spay Neuter Action Project) multiple times on campus. Students spayed and neutered their dogs free or low cost.
• We organized, advertised, and volunteered at a free veterinary clinic where dogs and cats were seen by a vet, vaccinated, and licensed all for free. 
• We volunteer monthly at our local animal shelter. As a result, many students have adopted from shelters and learned the importance of spaying and neutering first hand. 
• We’ve protested and leafleted at the Ringling Bros. circus each year when they come to town. 
• We’ve volunteered at, advocated for, and written letters on behalf of the harbor seal colony living in La Jolla, California. 
• Recently, we participated in a "honk and wave" to encourage California voters to vote yes on Prop 2.
• We also donate books to our school library that are aligned to our philosophy.
• We fundraise and send donations to our favorite causes (We love Baja Animal Sanctuary in Rosarito, Mexico).  We opt out of buying pages in the yearbook for the club in order to donate more money to our causes.
• Because of our club, we are now the host school for the ROP Veterinary Assistant program.  Students can leave high school with a certificate enabling them to work at a veterinary office, dog kennel, dog day care, etc.

What are the benefits of belonging to the club? Belonging to a club can help a student discover their passions in life and lead them to a meaningful career in the future. You also meet like-minded friends that you might have not have met otherwise.

What advice can you give to teens who want to start their own animal protection club?  Go for it!  As one, you can accomplish much in the animal world. As a group, you are a powerful force with limitless possibilities. Choose a cause you are passionate about. Learn as much as you can about the particular issue. Then, come up with a plan.  Gather some friends and get creative. 

Animal C.A.R.E. would love to see other chapters open across the U.S.  Talk about a force! Contact us.

Anything else you’d like to share: Saying you love animals is one thing. Feeling bad for them is another. It’s a whole different thing if you do something about it.