Named the “Student Organization of the Year” in 2017, the Animal Rights Alliance (ARA) has offered students an opportunity to use their power and voice to advocate for better treatment of animals worldwide. The group’s mission is rooted in the idea that animals should not be exploited for human gain.

“Animals don’t have a voice in our human world, so our group aims to give them one,” said faculty advisor Heather Dail.

An alumnus of South and now Senior Instructor of English, Dail has seen ARA advocate for better treatment of animals since she co-founded the group in 2016. Through holiday-themed events and fundraisers, ARA has brought attention to different issues, such as the farming of animals for food, mistreatment of wildlife at nonaccredited zoos and aquariums, and animal testing.

ARA has just installed their new executive board, including Jack Spedale, junior biomedical sciences major, as the club president. He shared with “The Vanguard” one of his favorite experiences in the organization.

“During my freshman year, at one of the previous ARA events I attended, we listened to animal rights activist Marty Irby speak to us about his work with horses and the Big Cat Public Safety Act,” said Spedale. “I found his work both interesting and inspiring, which strengthened my passion for animal rights.”

This year, Spedale is looking forward to volunteering with local animal shelters and participating in a campus or park cleanup.

In Spring 2024, ARA partnered with peta2 to bring their award-winning virtual reality experience, “Abduction,” to South’s campus. Students stepped into a five-minute-long alien encounter where they were virtually treated as unwilling test subjects. This event sought to encourage students to empathize with animals who are going through similar scenarios in real time. 

Like many student groups on campus, ARA has experienced an ebb and flow in membership. According to Dail, there seems to be a misconception about the term “animal rights,” and she believes that the word “rights” leads students to believe that the organization’s goal is extreme in nature, causing students to steer away from it.

As stated on their website, the organization is open to any students who are passionate about animal rights, regardless of whether they are vegan, vegetarian, or neither. The overarching goal is to show that animals are worthy of living a full life that is free from unnecessary cruelty.

“We’re not trying to get you to change – we are just trying to bring awareness overall,” said Dail.

ARA will be having their first general meeting on Sept. 10 at 5 p.m. via Zoom. For more information, visit their website or Instagram Page.

Edited by Stephanie Huynh on Sept. 10, 2024 at 11:41 p.m. to include quote from Jack Spedale and updating the meeting time.