Humane Society of West Texas

LUBBOCK, TEXAS (The Daily Toreador) - Puppy and kitten season has seized Lubbock.

Jackie Baltrun, who volunteers with the Humane Society of West Texas, said the season has just begun and already the organization is swamped.

Many puppies have come in with Parvo, a deadly illness, and one rescued pit bull needs to have an eye removed.

“It’s the busiest time of the year,” said Baltrun, a second-year law student from Salado.

Other students approached Baltrun looking for ways to help, which is why the Will Beg for Food supply drive began. The drive is collecting any kind of pet supplies, like toys, collars and food, said Lauren Mullins, a second-year law student from Naperville, Ill.

“There are a lot of animals that need help in the Lubbock area,” she said. “We just want to do our part.”

Involved with the law school chapter of the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund, Mullins has set up donation boxes outside the Law Library in the School of Law and other students have set up boxes in the Education building.

The SALDF chapter works and volunteers with various animal-related organizations in Lubbock, but is currently solely focused on this drive.

The boxes will be picked up on Friday, Baltrun said, and she said she hopes to see enough supplies to last the rest of puppy and kitten season, and through the spring.

During this time, she said, more animals are born and more animals are abandoned or brought in to shelters. Many of the young animals HSWT sees are injured, whether with broken bones from being thrown out of a car or regular infections. The Humane Society works to help all of the animals, even if it means costly medications or veterinarian stays.

The group often pays medical bills for the rescued animals. With events like the drive, HSWT can spend more money on veterinarian bills and less on everyday needs.

The drive is not the only way to help out, though, Baltrun said, as the Humane Society can always use more volunteers.

Still, she said, students certainly don’t need money to volunteer.

“A lot of students do volunteer and really help out,” she said. “You can make a real difference in the community.”

Students can foster pets or help with the organization’s online efforts, Baltrun said, and there are many ways to get involved. Some animal sciences students volunteer at the vet clinics. There are always opportunities to walk dogs as well.

HSWT is a no-kill shelter, Baltrun said, and the organization saved more than 12,000 animals in the past year and spayed or neutered around 500 feral cats.

“The more people donate, the more people help,” she said, “and the more animals we can help,”

Donations are also accepted at HSWT’s weekend events, Baltrun said. The adoption clinics are on Saturday and Sunday afternoons at both Lubbock PetSmarts.

Copyright 2013 The Daily Toreador   (Copyright Terms)
Updated 421 days ago   Article ID# 1522852

Humane Society of West Texas    Visit Website

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