Area society seeks help for the SPCA 9/4/2009 11:53 PM Submitted article The CSRA Vegetarian Society (CSRAVS) has teamed up with the Aiken SPCA to recruit volunteers for the SPCA's animal welfare and protection programs.
Members of CSRAVS recently attended an orientation session at the SPCA's no-kill shelter on Wire Road. There they took a tour, made friends with dozens of homeless animals and signed up for volunteer opportunities ranging from dog walking to cat socializing to fundraising.
Sean Woods, founder and organizer of CSRAVS, said the Vegetarian Society is trying to help spread the word about the SPCA's need for volunteers. He said the orientation session was advertised by e-mail to the more than 100 CSRAVS members.
"CSRAVS has a base of people who are very committed, and a lot of them are interested in animal welfare issues," he said. "At the same time, we knew that the SPCA really needs volunteers. It seemed like a win-win for everybody."
Gary Willoughby, executive director of the SPCA, agreed.
"We appreciate the interest," he said. "It's really great of the CSRAVS members to turn out. We hope we'll have more chances to work with the Vegetarian Society in the future."
Willoughby said he is a member of CSRAVS. He contacted Woods and joined the organization after reading about it in the Aiken Standard. The idea to join forces to recruit volunteers came out of that contact.
Anne Ofoje, the SPCA's volunteer coordinator, said the SPCA can use all the volunteers it can get.
"Our volunteers drop off dramatically once school starts," she said. "If you came here and walked dogs all day, that might be the only walk any one of those dogs gets that day."
She said interested individuals can help at the shelter or with offsite activities such as pet adoption events, dog washes and sales at the SPCA thrift store. The various opportunities are outlined on the volunteer application. The shelter is open to volunteers from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day but Sunday.
Laura Blanchette, a CSRAVS member who attended the orientation, responded to the call for volunteers.
"I love animals so much. It's my religion," she said. "And there are never enough people to do the work that needs to be done."
Woods said CSRAVS is developing a list of other Aiken organizations with volunteer opportunities that will be circulated to its membership.
CSRAVS is recruiting volunteers to participate in the Hunger Awareness Walk at the Aiken County Public Library on Sept. 12; the walk will benefit Golden Harvest Food Bank.
"There are lots of great causes in Aiken," Woods said. "We're trying to help where we can."
For information concerning CSRAVS and its volunteer recruitment program, contact Woods at csravegetariansociety@gmail.com.
Anyone interested in volunteering with the SPCA directly can call Ofoje at 648-6363.
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Posted by: On: Tuesday, September 08, 2009 12:33 PM
Comment Title: A Response
Luckily we live in a country where freedom of religion is written into the first amendment of our constitution. So, if you're a say, a Baptist for example, and Ms. Blanchette is of another creed, of which a major tenet is respecting, preserving and revering all life as equally valuable.... Well, I not only fail to see the conflict really, but her right to a different opinion is a basic foundation of this country, as is her right to express this. Secondly, I am in agreement with the other respondents in saying there seems nothing strange about a partnership between vegetarians, who often have an interest in helping both people and animals, to partner up with a shelter whose goal is to help animals. Frankly, it seems like a natural partnership. And besides, I don't think anyone's trying to recruit the animals to the vegetarian lifestyle :) However, as long as we're on the topic it bears mentioning that dogs are adaptable, and thus not obligate carnivores. Cats are, technically, but a little investigation would reveal a vegetarian diet for cats to be no more unusual than any other processed kibble. In the wild, both dogs and cats would consume flesh primarily, but you might be surprised to know that cats get protein not only from small animals but insects, as well. Both animals would survive on the flesh of small wild animals, certainly not cows or pigs, and probably not a lot of chicken or salmon either. Modern pet foods have many of the nutrients processed out. The only thing left in the processed waste from slaughterhouses after rendering it is protein. The "meat" we feed our pets is lacking in many of the essential nutrients they need, like taurine, which is absolutely necessary for cats. Look at any pet food, and you'll see this, and other nutrients are added after the fact. Ultimately, our companion animals are pretty much willing to consume whatever slop we present them with, but just as broccoli casserole would not top their list, I doubt processed kibble would either. I imagine our cat, say, would be much happier if we presented her a meal of wounded songbird, a cricket or two for a snack, and maybe a lost and wandering vole for dinner, but this doesn't appeal to my sensibilities, nor anyone else's, I'd imagine.
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Posted by: Lisa Lansing On: Monday, September 07, 2009 7:38 PM
Comment Title: What is the issue here?
Rufus Thomas - so what is the issue here? Neither the SPCA nor the animals discriminate based on one's dietary preferences, so anyone volunteer his or her time. The point of this article is to bring attention to the SPCA's need for volunteers, and how the CSRA Vegetarian Society is helping to fill this need. I suggest you volunteer your time at the Aiken SPCA instead of asking volunteers nonsensical questions via a comment.
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Posted by: Sean Woods On: Monday, September 07, 2009 7:31 PM
Comment Title:
I am not commenting to debate or start an argument. I do wonder why the partnership is strange, though. One of the most common reasons for becoming a vegetarian is a love for animals. Is it really so hard to grasp the concept of loving animals equaling the elimination of meat from one's diet? When a person chooses to give up eating meat, it doesn't mean they force their animal(s) to do such as well. So what if an animal would chose to eat meat over a casserole? What does that prove? That the animal is hungry? What I do know is that all the animals at the Aiken SPCA, and every other shelter around the world, need people who are willing to help make their lives a little better. If a person decides to help animals, it should not matter what religion the person practices. They are doing something to change the life, and happiness, an animal. I find it strange a person would question any group willing to help out where help is needed. Just because a person is vegetarian, it doesn't mean they'll only help people who don't eat meat. On the contrary, the CSRAVS has also helped Golden Harvest Food Bank and the American Heart Association. We volunteer because we want to help. This isn't strange. It's just one way we do something for the betterment of our community.
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Posted by: Lisa Dyches On: Saturday, September 05, 2009 11:12 AM
Comment Title: SPCA
The CSRAVS helps out any organization that needs help. A big part of our group is compassion for animals. We have adopted a vegetarian diet for health benefits, but we support animal rights as well.
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Posted by: Rufus Thomas. On: Saturday, September 05, 2009 6:55 AM
Comment Title: SPCA Seeks Help
This is a very interesting article but a strange partnership. Dogs/Cats and Vegetarians. I am sure that the SPCA can use all the volunteers it can get. Any dog that has an opportunity to get out and be walked could care less if the person walking it were a vegetarian or Not. However, when it comes time to eat, I remain convinced that the Dog/Cat would choose a dish with Meat over a Broccoli Casserole. We are told that we should’ love all God’s creatures’; but I would ask Ms Blanchette, “What is your Religion?”
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