Flagler hosts Adopt-a-Pet

Humane Society brings animals to campus to raise awareness, recruit volunteers

By Kelsey Mayid | gargoyle@flagler.edu

The brown and white dog wound his way among students outside Kenan, sniffing their feet and wagging his tail.

Another little black puppy wriggled and squirmed on the West Lawn, growling playfully as girls pet his belly and scratched behind his ears.

Theo, a 1-year-old pit bull/bulldog mix, and Stickers, a baby Rottweiler mix, are from the Florida East Coast Humane Society, and were visiting Flagler College for the Adopt-A-Pet event Oct. 4, which was sponsored by Flagler’s Public Relations Student Society of America chapter.

Alexandra Laycock, director of special events and volunteer coordinator for the Humane Society, was on hand to answer questions and recruit volunteers.

“We have about 60 cats and dogs available for adoption this month,” Laycock said. “The number fluctuates, but on average 40 percent of pets are adopted each month, and the other 60 percent are put to sleep.”

Laycock understands it’s hard for Flagler College students to adopt pets because of their housing situations, roommates and schedules, but said if students want to spend time with pets, there are always volunteer opportunities at the Humane Society.

“We need volunteers to walk dogs, clean kennels and litter boxes, and get other volunteers,” Laycock said.

The society is also re-starting a foster program, where volunteers can take pets home, but the Humane Society is still responsible for them.

“It’s a program that we’re trying to faze back in,” Laycock said. “It’s exclusively for current volunteers though, because I know them, they know the animals, and they have experience.”

Anyone interested in making a donation or volunteering at the Florida East Coast Humane Society, it is located at 1665 Old Moultrie Road in St. Augustine.