Dragons, butterflies, squid and other wacky creatures glide throughout Austin’s annual ABC Zilker Kite Festival. Just beneath the colorful Austin sky, Lauren Lillie hosts a booth with two excited dogs grabbing the attention of eager passersby. Parents and children intrigued by the furry booth attendants stop by to speak with Lillie about the organization she’s promoting — Emancipet on Campus.

“It was inspiring because (we) had the opportunity to be like, ‘It’s this service right here in your neighborhood,’” Lillie said.

Student-led organization Emancipet on Campus works to promote animal safety and welfare through volunteering at shelters and other programs in the Travis County area. Its parent nonprofit organization, Emancipet, offers comparatively low-cost veterinary services to pet owners. UT’s Emancipet on Campus carries these same values and solidifies connections between animal-loving groups such as the Austin Humane Society, Healing with Horses Ranch, Safe in Austin, Austin Pets Alive! and more. 

Lillie, the vice president of Emancipet on Campus, said the club works to offer resources to local organizations that face issues such as animal overpopulation. She said many remain unaware of the far-reaching impacts of local animal organizations, such as the physical and cognitive therapy for visitors offered by Healing with Horses Ranch. 

“Horses are one of the most emotional animals,” Lillie said. “They’re able to connect with humans really well, so it was sweet knowing that we were doing anything to help facilitate such an inspiring and good service.” 

Catelyn Toney, the organization’s volunteer coordinator, said she feels extremely grateful to be part of an organization with like-minded people who care about animals. She said she hopes as the volunteer coordinator, she can branch out Emancipet on Campus’ connections to other organizations and make long-lasting impacts in the community.  

“It’s hard to imagine that big of an impact with just a UT club,” Toney said. “But, if we make long-lasting relationships with these organizations and grow our club, we may be open to more opportunities (to spread) the word.” 

Erin Jolly, director of education and events at the Austin Humane Society and a long-standing partner with Emancipet on Campus, said the club not only provides numbers in volunteers but also helps in promoting a much larger cause — raising awareness. Jolly said this could be seen with their involvement in Puppy Bowl, an annual fundraising and adoption event held by AHS,  in February.

“Anytime we have groups that can help us grow the vision and grow the event, it’s only bringing more awareness to what we do for the community and what our organization is all about,” said Jolly.

Shannon Sprague, community engagement coordinator for Emancipet, works closely with the organization and said it brings reliable and enthusiastic students to volunteer. She said her favorite memory is when the club made toys for a dog shelter to aid in safety during storms. 

“Even the little things they do on their own have a huge impact,” Sprague said.

While the club makes a great place to meet new friends, the mission to help local animals is the biggest reward, Lillie said.

“You’ll have that opportunity to interact with animals and see that bigger impact and how much they matter,” Lillie said. “A lot of people have very intimate connections with their childhood dog or their childhood cat, … and they provide emotional support (during) hard moments in life. They provide so much for you. It’s your responsibility to turn around and give that back to them, not necessarily just to your animal, but to animals beyond them.”