Students can volunteer their time and become a part of a relatively new registered student organization designed for local animal activists. Members of the organization can help advocate volunteering, donating, fostering, adopting animals and animal rights and also raise awareness of animal cruelty and help animals in need.

Nicole Gess, who serves as the president of the RSO, founded Cause for Paws last fall.

“I find that many college students love their pets and always love seeing dogs on campus, and I realized there is no RSO dedicated to helping animals,” Gess said. “I decided to start it on my own.”

In September, Gess spent the month recruiting around 50 members into the group, and last November, they began having meetings every Tuesday.

According to the group’s Facebook page, the members are dedicated to serving local animal shelters and rescue animals and enjoy “making a difference for furry friends in the community.”

On March 4, Cause for Paws had a bake sale in Coleman Hall to benefit a volunteer and donation based organization located in Urbana, Illinois called Hospice Hearts. The bake sale helped raised over $100 for the organization.

Hospice Hearts is a foster-based rescue designed to help dogs and cats whose owners are no longer able to care for them because of an owner’s terminal illness, nursing home admission or death.

Jessica Householder, a member of Cause for Paws, said she loves that the organization has fundraised and helped to spread awareness for Hospice Hearts.

“It brings an immense amount of comfort and relief to (the) elderly to know that their beloved pets will be cared for and found loving homes,” Householder said.

Householder said being affiliated with an organization like Cause for Paws gives her valuable hands-on experience in working with animal shelters.

Sydney Ryan, another club member of Cause for Paws, said next semester, the RSO is going to try to have more fundraisers like a change donation in front of PetSmart in Mattoon, and a dog wash at the shelter.

“The most important thing we do is our donations,” Gess said. “Whether it be cash, donating our time or even donating things the shelter needs like towels and laundry detergent, we truly make a difference.”

Cause for Paws members are encouraged to volunteer their time at the Coles County Animal Shelter, Ryan said.

Members pay dues of $5 a semester, which go towards supplies and materials for fundraisers. The animal activists meet at 8 p.m. Tuesdays in room 3080 in the Biological Sciences building.

“The organization is set up in a way that members truly get out of the experience what they put into it,” Gess said. “Our members are passionate and dedicated and it has truly been a blessing being president of Cause for Paws.”

Lauren Barry can be reached at 581-2812 or lbarry@eiu.edu