By Piper Rutherford | Staff Writer
Animal Aware Mission Trip applications are now open for animal lovers interested in serving at a remote, underfunded and understaffed shelter in Guatemala whose dogs need a little extra care and attention.
The application is open to pre-veterinarian students and members of the Animal Rescue Club and its deadline is Nov. 6. Mia Casey, a leader of Animal Aware, said it’s also open to those who have a special place in their heart for animals and want to work more closely with them.
“The pre-vet students get a lot of hands-on work with the animals,” Casey said. “The rest of us do a lot of dog walking, bathing and haircuts, since most of these animals have not gotten that much attention or love in the past.”
Casey said students typically care for 300 to 400 dogs who are staying at the shelter.
Dr. John Cunningham, a senior lecturer in communications and director of communication internships, also leads of Animal Aware. Cunningham said this number is vastly different from local shelters.
“While a shelter in Waco may have 15 or 20 people to care for 100 to 200 hundred dogs, the shelter in Guatemala only has about three or four people treating twice the amount of animals,” Cunningham said. “So, the 12 people we are able to bring on this trip, including myself and Mia, really helps alleviate the workers at the shelter too.”
Cunningham deeply understands the impact of participating in these trips. He brought his current dog, Squint, home after going on Animal Aware’s second trip back in 2019.
“This trip came after I had to put my previous dog down, so I was feeling pretty blue and went down to Guatemala with no intention of bring a dog home … but, of course, God had different plans” Cunningham said. “Squint was just an ugly duckling since she had mange around her eyes. But she was so loving, and when she looked at me with those soulful brown eyes and I got to witness her sweet demeanor despite the environment she grew up in, I fell instantly in love.”
Outside of the close connection that those on the mission trip build with the animals, Cunningham said that the trip is also about appreciating the culture of Guatemala.
“Going on a mission trip like this one helps students appreciate what they have,” Cunningham said. “Most people down there live at minimum wage and sustenance, in which the average income for a family is about $5,000 dollars.”
Casey hopes many students walk away with this awareness of the outside world after serving in Guatemala.
“Part of the trip is focused on experiencing the culture of Guatemala at night, after working in the shelter during the day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.,” Casey said. “We also take a trip to Antigua on our last night in Guatemala.”
For students interested in applying, Casey said that students are typically responsible for paying $1,600 for the trip.
“This includes round-trip airfare from DFW [International Airport] to Guatemala City, all of the hotels and meals, as well as ground transportation in Guatemala,” Casey said. “The only cost that students might need additional money for is souvenirs and snacks.”
This, along with other information and the application for Animal Aware, can be found on the Bears Abroad website.
