New Animal Welfare Superintendent Julie Bank is planning new opportunities for students and the community to help out the Oklahoma City Animal Shelter.
“At first, my goal is to look at and analyze all the programs we are currently working on and what we are do, what we do well, what needs improvement and to ultimately grow,” Bank said. “We want to do the best job that we can in finding animals homes.”
Bank said she hopes the community will want to support the shelter through volunteering, providing financial support or supplying the shelter with needed items.
Bank, who has worked in animal shelters for almost 30 years, started her career by volunteering while in college.
“I was very excited to learn there was an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of animals and people every day,” Bank said. “When I was in college, I did not know what I wanted to do and a mobile adoption vehicle showed up and changed my world. I learned about adoption, the human-animal bond, animals that needed people to get involved in their lives, and I never looked back.”
There are many opportunities for volunteer work at the Oklahoma City shelter, including an All Paws on Deck Community Clean-up Day on Feb. 21. This event will include volunteers deep-cleaning the shelter.
The shelter’s need for support does not just stop at events like these, Bank encourages community involvement at all times.
“I think it is really great that we have the opportunity to go help out,” junior Amy Winn said. “I think it is really great that we have that opportunity, especially in club, being able to go out with all the girls that I love to spend time with and just going and getting to do something good for the community and animals.”
Last year, Iota Kappa Phi and Kappa Sigma Tau volunteered at a local animal shelter during a service project opportunity.
“I like seeing animal shelters, especially the one that we went to, have lots of area to do things with the dogs and cats,” senior Sean Bolin said. “They make sure that the people check out correctly so the people have a solid home for the puppy, so they do not end up back in the shelter. The people [in charge of the shelter] seemed very nice and caring, so we want to go back again.”
Bank said she hopes to create a similar experience at the Oklahoma City shelter through community efforts.
“My goal is to look at our programs and strengthen what we can and also help the community understand that there are many ways that they can support the animals in the community,” Bank said. “The first one is being a responsible pet owner… The next step is encouraging people to adopt.”
For students at Oklahoma Christian who cannot have pets other than fish in their housing areas, adoption is not an option, but volunteering is.
“It is not just these animals that need you but you need them too,” Bank said. “If you cannot [adopt], then consider becoming a volunteer and help us from adoptions to clerical work. If you cannot do any of that, you can certainly financially support us or give an in-kind gift.”
Volunteering at a shelter allows students to connect with animals and people alike.
“I think that if OC were to open up an opportunity for us to [go out to an animal shelter] I think many people, especially people who are not involved with club and do not get that opportunity with club, will enjoy doing that,” Winn said.
Bolin said that if volunteer work was an Ethos-approved event, more people would have an incentive to help.
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