Any given Friday night, you'll find teenagers gathered together talking, laughing, and just exhaling after a long week. Once a month, you can find this scene at the Austin Dog Alliance Youth Association (ADAYA) meetings. ADAYA members range from age 13 to 19 (and from 4' 10" to 5' 10"). Some are shy and some are outgoing; some are interested in animal careers and some are not.  But what they have in common is far greater than their differences.

"They are all here because they want to be. They want to work with the dogs, work with Austin Dog Alliance and want to help out," says ADAYA Leader Susan Windham-Whitcomb. She finds that these common interests make the group "very positive and nurturing" and noticeably without the clique situations that sometimes happen with teenagers.

Parent Alejandra Zambada has found that her son's attitude and responsibility has changed since joining ADAYA.  She used to have to cajole him to attend other groups, but "now he is the one reminding me, excited about the activities and the time he gets to spend with everybody at ADAYA."

Making A Difference

Recently ADAYA has been visiting the Lockhart Animal Shelter, a small, regional animal shelter with an estimated 50% dog adoption rate. "They get virtually no foot traffic," says Alliance Adoption Support Volunteer, Carla Elmore.  Together Elmore and ADAYA have photographed about 50 dogs over the last three months.  In addition to photographing the dogs, each dog also gets a good romp, leash walking, and loving hugs. Elmore believes, "For a dog to get to run and just be with a kind person, makes all the difference in how adoptable that dog will be."

Fostering Leadership

ADAYA members play an active role in planning their activities. They discuss all their ideas before selecting that year's projects, fundraising, social events, and service opportunities.  ADAYA members also help with many Alliance events and programs.  By participating in these activities, the youth engage with adult Alliance volunteers and learn how to lead and how to follow, both critical leadership skills.  Some recent contributions by ADAYA have been cleaning the new Alliance property and assisting with children at the Kidgits Club Book Blast at Lakeline Mall.

Austin Dog Alliance Director Debi Krakar and Windham-Whitcomb first developed the idea of a Youth Association when they kept encountering so many teens interested in helping. The age of the youth and their passion for animals allows them to contribute to Alliance in a very unique way. Windham-Whitcomb is confident that "the members of ADAYA will be our next round of adult volunteers and board members."

Becoming a Member

To learn more about ADAYA membership and upcoming events, please visit the Youth Association page.  If you have any other questions, contact ADAYA Leader, Susan Windham-Whitcomb at susan@austindogalliance.org.  

Robin Taylor and her dog, Weasie, are Austin Dog Alliance volunteers in the Bow Wow Reading Dog program at Pond Springs Elementary School.  Robin shared a story about their visit to the school several weeks ago:

"A first grade boy came in to read to Weasie. 

After finishing his book, he leaned in and put his head up against Weasie's, then smiled. 

I asked if Weasie had said something to him. He said "yes". 

When I asked what she told him, he said, "she said I did a very good job"".

 

Your tax-deductible donations help fund our Bow Wow Reading Dog programs in schools and libraries.