The Pet Charity Drive, organized by members of Pawsitive Helpers, concludes today. They had a fixed goal of collecting 100 blankets to donate to shelters, which so far are close to achieving. Pawsitive Helpers placed donation bins at other locations such as Mesa Verde Middle School, the Pacific Highlands Ranch library, and nearby our own library steps, in order to maximize reaching their goals for this event. 

The club’s main purpose is to raise awareness for animal welfare through volunteering at local animal shelters and providing shelters with essential supplies. Club presidents Aarchi Awasthi (12) and Rushika Raghuwanshi (12) said this charity drive collected materials like blankets, towels, and pet toys, which were donated to the County of San Diego Department of Animal Services Shelter. 

“This is the first time we’ve actually done an outreach event,” Raghuwanshi said. “It’s a good way where people can share their common interests, bond with new people, and we hope that this drive brings more awareness about our club.”

The presidents worked directly with animal shelters to understand what supplies each shelter needed. They also encouraged students to donate other materials that they can find easily in their homes. For example, yarn and threaded materials are less expensive than buying toys for animals like cats. 

“I think donating is more achievable for everyone,” Raghuwanshi said. “Donating doesn’t mean that you have to go out and buy a brand new pet toy or buy new dog food to donate. It’s just things in your house that you no longer use.” 

Due to the presidents’ years of volunteering experience, Awasthi said they understand that most animal shelters have too little space for the number of animals they’re housing. 

“In San Diego, there are many shelters that have an overflow,” Awasthi said. “They have too many animals coming in, and they don’t always have as much support as they need, so we’re just trying to help them out and give them what we can.”

The provided items are specifically helpful for warmth, stimulation, and a sense of safety for the animals. The donated toys can calm the animals and reduce boredom and anxiety while also saving the shelter funds.

“The animals and shelters that I’ve directly volunteered with still need and utilize similar resources,” Awasthi said. “I noticed that [shelters] tend to run out of warm and soft [blankets], so having something like this can help [the animals] feel more secure and less stressed.” 

Having never held events like these before, the presidents check everyday to make sure that the bin isn’t overflowing or to collect any donations that are present. The club spread the word by leaving flyers around campus but often ran into the doubt of not doing enough to make the fundraiser well known. 

“We had many challenges like coordinating with the shelter, organizing donations, and handling drop-off logistics,” Awasthi said. “We worked amongst our executive team with donation drop-off spots to ensure a smooth process.”

Awasthi said that participating in Pawsitive Helpers is a chance for all animal lovers to work collaboratively.  

“If you have a common goal of wanting to help animals or if you’re just interested in them and just love animals in general, I think this would be a good opportunity overall,” Awasthi said. “It’s just a good way where people can share their common interests and bond with new people.”

Through this event, Raghuwanshi said the club hopes to attract new members while simultaneously helping local shelters. 

“We just want to show people that you don’t necessarily have to donate money or do anything huge to make an impact,”  Raghuwanshi said. “Sometimes doing something simple like donating a used blanket can make a huge impact on animals’ lives.”