NC’s Rescue Warriors Club offers assistance to stray animals in finding a forever home, ensuring the animals remain safe, healthy and ready for adoption. The club aids Lake City Animal Hospital, an Acworth hospital that rescues strays and drives them to northern states such as Vermont, for families that wish to adopt. Before transport, the Rescue Warriors prep felines and canines to find a forever home to avoid euthanization. An important part of their volunteer work includes preparing these animals for a long trip to meet their families. For instance, the Rescue Warriors spend up to two and a half hours prepping the animals for their 20-hour car ride, ensuring a comfortable journey, as well as keeping them fed and calm for their journey ahead. This kind of care that the Rescue Warriors and Lake City Animal Hospital show remains crucial, as it helps the animals transition smoothly into their new lives, offering them a chance at a bright future.
Each semester, the club participates in rehoming the animals at a nearby shelter — a minimum of three times. Freshman Taylor Catlin founded Rescue Warriors in 2016 and ever since club sponsor Cristina Mayes, a special education and English teacher, took over, she continues to spread awareness about the charity Lake City Animal Hospital offers. Everyone who participates in the club travels to the animal hospital to prepare stray cats and dogs for adoption which includes feeding them medicine, showing them human companionship and assisting in loading the animals into their crates for a comfortable trip.
“I absolutely love dogs and that’s actually spread to every animal I love. There are so many dogs and cats that need help and they’re in the shelters and we need to find good homes for them, and I had a bunch of great kids that wanted to help me out. On transport days we come to Lake City Animal Hospital and we help road trips home and take care of the puppies and dogs, for example, we hold, walk, and take them to get their motion sickness for their trip. The cats are inside and what we do is help move them from inside in their crates to the van. In the club I prioritize my service to these animals because somebody has to take care of them, so we might as well,” Mayes said.
The club strives to reach a certain goal while volunteering: finding stray animals a home and raising awareness for potential adoption. By participating in Rescue Warriors, members actively learn the importance of their services and could possibly educate others which results in fewer strays wandering the streets. The club continues to promote awareness by showing the public that animals remain in need of adoption, ultimately raising society’s compassion for the strays.
“My mom’s a veterinarian, so I’ve always been around animals and I thought this club would be a fun way to get service hours doing something I already like to do. We just make sure the animals have the most comfortable, safe trip they can, get their medication, and just provide extra hands. While participating in the club I prioritize animal welfare, I think the most important thing is doing right by the animals,” magnet sophomore Ainsley Parham said.
Within the eight years that Rescue Warriors has aided Lake City Animal Hospital, a multitude of strays have found a forever home. Mayes does not see an end to this club and continues to improve the lives of countless animals, while also bringing together the community. The Rescue Warriors continue to show kindness and compassion while initiating a difference by continuing their work and inspiring others to participate in their cause.
