A Course in Ethics
Shannon Peck-Walden is one of 15 college students from California’s University of Redlands who came for a month internship here at Best Friends. Her goals for the visit: She wants to socialize a timid cat and fatten up an infirm dog.

On the first count, she’s already succeeded after only a week. William at the TLC Cat Club, she explains, is a cross-eyed kitten who has trouble seeing. At first, he was scared of her, but he’s responding to the sound of her voice and lets her come close, and even brush him.

For her second task, she’s working with Stella at the Best Friends Clinic. Stella is not well, and hasn’t been eating enough.

Shannon’s trip to Best Friends is part of a program at the University of Redlands called May-Term. During the month of May, all Redlands students take time away from their usual routine and select one special project on which to focus for the entire month. Some of the students simply take a class, others travel abroad, and community service is also a popular option.

But two years ago, Ethics Professor Cathie Jennings discovered Best Friends. After a visit to the sanctuary, she went home and stuck fliers all over campus advertising Best Friends internships as a May-term idea. The first and second years, eight students came with her. This time, more students signed up than she was able to accommodate. And several who made the final list wanted to know, “Is it possible to get a job here after we graduate?”

The animals were blessed to be visited by students as caring as Shannon and her classmates.