Instead of taking their weekends off, juniors Fuaad Ajaz and Alex Reyes volunteer helping animals at local animal rescue centers. Ajaz and Reyes both volunteer at The Leisure Cat Animal Rescue or TLC Animal Rescue whose missions are preventing unwanted animal births as well as providing care and finding a home for abandoned animals.

All the animals they work with range in age as well as species.

“I help out with the cats and kittens usually, we feed their water bowls and clean their cages,” Reyes said.

On an average day of working with the animals Ajaz and Reyes have many similar tasks to do.

“My tasks depends on location, like if I’m at the Southpark Meadows location I have to go let the cats out, let them run around, make sure their water is fresh, and clean up all their accidents. At the Sunset Valley location, I unpack tables, chairs, tents, and cages and answer questions people have,” Ajaz said.

Ajaz came across the organization six years ago when he adopted his cats.

“I went back two years ago and saw them out there,” Ajaz said. “I thought the rescue dissolved but they were still there  and I asked about volunteering and they said they always need volunteers,”

Reyes started volunteering in this organization in the middle of this previous summer.

“My friend introduced me and asked if I want volunteer hours so I said sure. I volunteer usually on Sundays from two to six every week or every other week,” Reyes said.

It is not just all fun and games when volunteering at the rescue. Many animals suffer and sometimes tragedy strikes.

“Sometimes the mother cats pass away but at the owner’s home the ones that we have are usually young,” Reyes said.

“They need to go to the vet less, they do not have to walk them, and you can free feed them.”

Owning a pet is a big responsibility, and one of the volunteer’s jobs is to inform people about the animals they are looking to adopt.

“All animals are fixed and have all their shots as well as being tested for feline Leukemia ” Reyes said. “I would tell them about the characteristics of the animal, funny traits, what they like and dislike, the breed, and any questions the adopter has.”

Overall, the animal volunteers love their jobs and continue to work most weekends because of that.

“I love it because it helped me figure out what I want to do with my life,” Ajaz said. “I know I want to work with animals. I also love it because I see so many animals neglected, malnourished, and unwanted, just thrown on the streets to die, and I like to see their transformation and see them get healthy again so they can go to their ‘forever home’, wherever it may be.”