Dancing, church, friends.

APs, counseling, standardized testing.

Fun, stress.

Volunteering.

In many ways, Avery Von Eiff is the standard junior. ACT prep, AP classes, extracurricular activities and friends keep her busy. Despite limited free time, Von Eiff still found time to pursue something she cares about: volunteering at animal shelters.

“My parents had pets since before I was born, so I’ve had pets my whole life,” Von Eiff said. “I could never really pick a favorite pet because I loved them all so much.”

A true animal lover, Von Eiff knew she wanted to make their lives as comfortable as possible. Playing with them every day, taking care of them and considering them a part of the family became central to her daily routine. Von Eiff remembers the first inspiration for her volunteering.

“My family fosters dogs for K-9 Angels, and they get their foster dogs from the Harris County Animal shelter. That was the first organization I was involved with. ”

Volunteering, an activity admired and respected by both communities and college admissions officers, shows compassion and dedication. Von Eiff described why animal shelters need volunteers, and what motivated her to begin.

“When I found out shelters had to take every animal that comes to their door, my mom and I knew we needed to help,” Von Eiff said. “Considering how many animals come in per day, we wanted to help in whatever way we could to give those animals a chance at a home.”

Unlike other types of volunteering that require heavy labor, long hours, or other nuisances, Von Eiff loves the kind of work she does. Loving to help out and loving the animals she is helping, she encourages others to join in.

“I would definitely encourage others to volunteer and adopt pets!” Von Eiff said. “The shelters are overcrowded, so adopting not only saves that animal’s life but also gives another animal a new chance.”

Not only do helping others, volunteering also helps the volunteer.

“The most rewarding part of volunteering is seeing the animals find their perfect home,” Von Eiff said. “Even though I do not want to be a veterinarian anymore, I have been consistently volunteering for the Harris County shelter since March.”

Despite the rigors of being a cardinal and the stress of being a teenager, Von Eiff stands out for her dedication to her cause. To learn more about volunteering at animal shelters nearby, visit http://publichealth.harriscountytx.gov/services-programs/services/shelter-services/adoptpet