Break with Best Friends: Aggies serve furry friends over spring break

Participants in the Christensen Office of Social Action and Sustainability’s alternative breaks program dedicated their spring break to advocating for animal rights March 11-16.  

A tradition since 1996, according to the COSAS webpage, alternative breaks are spring breaks designed to serve a cause. The COSAS website says the goal of these trips is to help students become active citizens by learning about current social issues, what organizations are doing to make a difference and how to get involved. 

This year, one of the trips was to Kanab’s Best Friends Animal Society. A little over a dozen people attended, with leaders, student leaders and other participants.  

Trip leader Giselle Bandley said it was great to help the people running the shelter and the animals. 

“We’re excited to work with them and help them do the work they do day in and day out,” Bandley said. 

The students were from differing backgrounds, but they were united in advocating for animals. Participants have varied experiences with animal advocacy, but they were able to teach each other from their different circumstances.  

Kirsten Reither, a sophomore majoring in political science, had a lot of experience prior to the trip.   

“Animal ethics are a really important part of my life,” Reither said. “I’m excited for a chance to give back to that.” 

Some students had less experience with animal rights, but they were eager to learn. Kate Markman, a senior art student and trip leader, was one of these students.  

“I feel like animal rights isn’t something I know much about,” Markman said. “I care a lot about caring for life as a whole, but this is a new avenue for me to explore. I am excited to brush shoulders with people who are passionate about these things, and I’m excited to learn from people about their passions.” 

One bonding aspect the group implemented was eating vegetarian the entire week. While some who came on the trip were already vegan or vegetarian, others agreed to participate in the trip to practice animal mindfulness. 

The group participated in several activities to help the shelter including painting a fence, feeding the animals and cleaning out pens. They were excited to spend time with the puppies, kitties, pigs, goats and to get to know each other.  

Tori Tuner, a student studying music therapy, said they explored their connections with each other and with themselves. 

”The focus of today is group bonding and exploring,” Turner said. “We explore our identities and how that connects us to each other and the work we’re doing.”  

Every night, the group would gather and discuss what they had experienced and learned. The topic of animal cruelty can become emotionally heavy, so these conversations allowed participants to reflect and release some heaviness. 

However, the trips aren’t all service and seriousness. The group also went on a hike through a local canyon and had a stargazing adventure. They had downtime at night, and they said they enjoyed becoming friends with this free time.  

Reither said it was nice to take a mental break from school and work and simply focus on helping others and building relationships. 

“It’s just exciting to do something good, be outside with animals, do a mental health boost,” Reither said. 

Participants went for various reasons. Markman said the ultimate goal was to bring back what she learned, while Allyson Petty, a senior studying animal science, came to discover if working at a shelter like Best Friends was the next step for her after her upcoming graduation.  

Reither came in honor of her rescue dog, a Jack Russell-Chihuahua mix named Poppy, who recently passed away.  

One of the biggest lessons learned was individuals can implement change.  

Meg Malo, a sophomore studying geography, said she learned the importance of being aware and taking action. 

“Before this trip, I thought as one person, change would be really hard to achieve and educating myself was gonna be a lot of hard work,” Malo said. “But it’s not; coming on this trip is actively showing me. I just think that people need to understand it only takes one step out of your door to create change.”