All of the puppies that were at the PAWS Your Finals Stress event are up for adoption through local shelters. (Photo by Ashley Kesweder)A student-run organization brought puppies to the Tempe campus Wednesday to help students relieve stress before finals.
The Arizona State Pets and Rescue club hosted “Paws Your Finals Stress” from 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Palo Verde Beach, giving students a chance to interact with puppies before facing their final week of the 2012-13 school year.
The puppies all came from different rescue groups in the Valley, which included Arizona Animal Welfare League & SPCA and Ruby Ranch Pet Rescue and Sanctuary.
ASPAR founder and president Kyrie Martin, a health promotion senior, said the event gave students the chance to interact with the puppies and connect with rescues and shelters.
She also said the event gave the puppies a chance to interact with more people, giving them a better chance of developing good behavior and getting adopted.
Because the puppies are young, they have low immune systems and are prone to sickness, ASPAR member Victoria Wingler said. Attendees had to sanitize their hands before handling each puppy to avoid spreading germs.
Emily Vivian is the offsite coordinator for Arizona Welfare League. Arizona State Pets and Rescue (ASPAR) held the PAWS Your Finals Stress event on PV Beach on Wednesday, April 24, bringing together stressed out college students and adorable puppies who are up for adoption. All of the puppies that were at the event are up for adoption through local shelters. (Photo by Ashley Kesweder)The club and the animal rescue organizations had tables at the event with information, encouraging students to get involved.
This is the third time ASPAR has put on the event, but Martin said because of location and advertising, student turnout was better than last semester when it was hosted at Hayden Lawn.
As of 4:30 p.m., the club has seen between 200 and 300 students stop by.
“Last semester we hosted the event earlier in the day at Hayden Lawn, which led to a different demographic,” she said. “We also had fewer puppies because of the season. We hoped to make it bigger this semester by hosting the event by the three main dorms on campus.”
Although there aren’t on-site adoptions, Martin said she has heard of students adopting a pet after attending one of ASPAR’s events.
Martin said the club, which was created in January 2012, was started after she adopted her puppy in August 2011.
“I wanted to share the experience I had and interest others in adopting a pet or getting involved with a rescue organization,” she said.
ASPAR Vice President Melody Kaufman said Maricopa County has the second highest rate of euthanasia in the United States, so members in the club advocate adopting or rescuing pets from a shelter rather than buying them from a pet store or breeder.
ASPAR’s volunteer director Ashley Garbacz said the club volunteers with Canine Country Club & Feline Inn to work with German Shepherds that have been taken off the euthanasia list.
She said the club also volunteers with Saving Paws Animal Rescue and other local shelters, and that many of the club’s volunteers independently visit the shelters beyond the group’s scheduled visits.
“The most important thing for these animals is for them to be loved and get good human interaction,” Garbacz said. “Most dogs (we deal with) have been abused or mistreated in the past.”
She said the club brings in animal trainers, veterinarians and rescue groups to speak with the club. She also said they encourage members to spread the importance of spaying and neutering pets, and how to stop or prevent animal cruelty and overcrowding in shelters.
“ASPAR is a club that is very hands-on and is good for the animals and humans involved,” Garbacz said.
All of the puppies that were at the PAWS Your Finals Stress event are up for adoption through local shelters. (Photo by Ashley Kesweder)
Reach the reporter at ppineda@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter @paulinapineda22
