Cassandra Gomez, radiology sophomore, is trying to push for something new on campus—an animal rights group. Gomez, like many other people, loves animals and wants to help prevent and reduce animal cruelty.
People for Animal Welfare is an animal rights group on campus. Students on campus have heard from PAW due to their spot in the Student Organization Fair, but some have heard of it through their Twitter account.
“By educating the student population at Midwestern State on animal abuse, we feel it will help students see the positive impact they can have even if that is very small. It is a stand for the animals, by giving them a voice they do not have,” Gomez said.
PAW plans on doing philanthropic work and assisting with the animal shelters around Wichita Falls, such as the Humane Society. Their mission is to help lessen the unethical treatment of animals, and the best place to start is local. As well as donating, PAW will be spending time at various organizations around Wichita Falls doing volunteer work. Gomez wants to start something good for animals with no way to speak for themselves. PAW won’t just be advocating for household pets, though. PAW plans to target all animals that need help.
Kerrigan Reyes, psychology sophomore, agrees with the central message of PAW, as well. Reyes said she is very invested in helping cease the cruelty towards animals that people are labeling as pests, such as raccoons.
Reyes said, “I honestly think that they’re very important. They have bone structures similar to most pets and they have very similar behaviors.”
Reyes disagrees with how people purposefully hunt raccoons and are unnecessarily cruel to them, and she hopes to see PAW spread awareness for animals like the raccoon that are being targeted. PAW will be starting small and local, Gomez said, but later they can expand.
“PAW can tackle on bigger problems that relate to animal cruelty. Hopefully, the future generation will be able to address big issues like testing on animals and the mistreatment of animals in the food industry. But for today, the club’s main goal is on helping the animals of this community,” Gomez said.
PAW will have its first meeting on Sept. 20.
Gomez said, “I want this club to grow into something that gets everyone involved including faculty and staff on campus. As of right now, the club is meant to serve on a low spectrum scale but hopefully, in the future can take on heavy topics.”
