Animal Outlook was created to support animal welfare and spread knowledge to raise awareness about the truth behind big industrial organizations and their treatment of animals.
Founded in 2021 by 2023 Cal graduate Enya Fung, the Animal Outlook Club is under the leadership of senior president Sara Gadad, who served as the club’s first secretary.
The club’s mission is to educate people about the abuse many animals endure in the agricultural industry and the deaths of hundreds of thousands of animals per year as a result of overpopulation. The club also provides aid to organizations in need of volunteers and donations.
Gadad’s interest in this topic started as a child when she visited an animal shelter and learned about the mistreatment of animals. She learned how shelters become overwhelmed with overpopulation of animals, which results in their euthanasia.
She started to speak out against the unjust treatment animals receive, specifically against domestic animal breeding and puppy mills. This eventually led to her joining Fung in creating Animal Outlook.
Junior Kazuki Komatsubara joined the club this school year because he likes being able to help out and donate to animals in need.
“I joined Animal Outlook this year because I [want] to help animals that are needing support,” Komatsubara said.
Animal Outlook also has a website which indicates that the club hopes the education students receive will help them become more ethical consumers. One way they do this is through volunteer opportunities accessible to students.
“We help make toys and blankets for animal shelters and we also host donation drives for wildlife hospitals,” Gadad said. “The shelters we donate to have been grateful to receive any supplies we’ve donated, so we’re happy to make a difference.”
Both Gadad’s and club secretary Bridget Wang’s favorite events are ones where they make toys and blankets. Not only do they have fun making crafts and helping out in a cause they care about, but they also get to meet and hangout with individuals with similar interests.
“[Animal Outlook] has helped me improve my creativity because I didn’t know we could make pet toys with old T-shirts,” Komatsubara said. “There was a variety of toys we could make which was fun.”
Club members most recently gathered for a blanket-making event with Dublin High School on Dec. 13. In January, the club is planning on doing some animal advocacy work and making posters to raise awareness through education about the issue.
In order to find volunteering opportunities, the club reaches out to animal shelters such as Lindsay Wildlife in Walnut Creek, People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (P.E.T.A.) and other Bay Area animal welfare organizations.
Sophomore Janani Krishnakumar joined the club last year because she’s always had a passion for helping animals. She was happy to find a club on campus dedicated to just that.
“I feel like everything’s really well structured and people know when to improvise and how to smoothly get things working,” Krishnakumar said.
The club also holds documentary viewings and guest speaker events as other ways to educate club members on the agricultural industry. This allows students to learn about specific topics from professionals.
In order to ensure students in the club provide equal coverage of all kinds of animals, the club has monthly themes. They further educate students about specific topics based on the theme in meetings and if possible, find events associated with the topic as well.
“We [recently finished] animal shelters and [now we’re] moving onto the agricultural industry,” Gadad said. “ [We’ll] also be covering wildlife conservation, marine animals or zoos, and more advocacy.”
In order to help out with the club’s cause, students can become a member. Once they are a member, they will be notified whenever there is an upcoming service event, documentary or club meeting.
Currently, Animal Outlook has around 120 members.
“Knowing what you’re doing is going to help an animal that is in need through stuff like donations,” Krishnakumar said. “Just knowing that what you’re doing is worth something is really satisfying.”
