Shyla the Dog and Antonio the Cat

Ella Bradshaw

Staff Writer

Welcome back, Hounds! In the spirit of our university’s mascot, I am happy to continue to share local adoptable pets from the Worcester Animal Rescue League, a Worcester-based animal shelter. But aside from seeing some furry friends, this column serves a greater purpose – advocating for supporting animal shelters via donations, volunteerism, and adoption. I additionally hope to touch upon animal welfare issues with each edition, and to provide some facetime with the wonderful services that animal support organizations provide to society.

This edition’s adoptable dog spotlight goes to Shyla, an eight-month-old mixed breed. Shyla is spayed, and is currently 34 pounds but is expected to grow as she comes into age. This pretty girl is a bit shy, but extra sweet, and needs a patient and loving home.

This edition’s adoptable cat spotlight goes to Antonio, a three-month-old orange domestic shorthair kitten! One common misconception about animal shelters is that they only have older pets, but oftentimes there are plenty of puppies and kittens too! Antonio has been neutered and has two other brothers who are available for adoption from WARL.

Looking to support WARL without adoption? The Worcester Animal Rescue League wishlist includes essential pet supplies, toys, medical and cleaning items, office materials, and gently used tech to support the care and comfort of animals awaiting adoption. Their Amazon wishlist and other ways for donations can be found on their website, worcesterarl.org.

The Ethical Pawprint: What’s something YOU can do to make an impact on environmental sustainability or animal welfare as a college student? One easy adjustment is shopping more consciously and only buying vegan & cruelty-free products, especially for cosmetic goods. Use PETA’s (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) “Bunny Free” app to scan products and determine if they are safe from unethical animal testing.