Rather than hanging out with friends on weekends, sophomore Lauren Samuels prefers to spend it with animals.

“[Animals] are just so sweet and loving and fun to be around, humans are more complicated.”

Lauren volunteers for a program called Itsy-Bitsy at local PetSmart which specializes in taking in animals off the streets. 

“I really just want to help the animals that help our world.”

She finds herself there two to three times a month for up to seven hours each.

“I don’t find it hard to fit into my schedule because usually, the weekends are a relaxing time anyway so I can just fit it into that time.”

Lauren found the program after adopting her own two kittens, Doodles and Rose, from there. 

“It was just a volunteer opportunity. I got into a text group and I signed up that way.”

At PetSmart, Lauren helps customers with adoption papers, bottle-feeds animals, and walks dogs. 

“I like all the people that are there with me, that help work with me. I like all the conversations that we have and we talk about the animals and I have learned so much overtime.”

Having been working there for over 6 months, Lauren plans to get an actual job with the company this summer. 

“I definitely want to go into this career. . . the animals, even on a tired day, make me happy and at the end of the day, that’s what I am looking for”