Sophomore Sam Slaughter doesnt have your average best friend: hes short, a little hairy and likes to spend long hours digging in any open field.

Slaughters relationship blossomed with border collie Chance when they met at the Burlington Adoption Center through a campus volunteer program.

SHARE, Students Helping Animals Regain Equality, was started by a group of people passionate about animals and their welfare. More than 40 active volunteer students go to one of three animal shelters in the area and donate their time and energy to helping animals become more socialized with people before they are adopted.

Slaughter heard about SHARE during Animal Awareness Week last April. He had previously volunteered at shelters and knew about the benefits. He finds that helping out in the shelters is very relaxing and it is nice to see the animals get adopted.

Slaughter enjoys seeing how quickly the transitions are made in the dogs as they become more playful and less afraid of people.

Since Ive been socializing with [Chance], hes opened up, Slaughter said, its great seeing the change in such a short time.

Most volunteers, including Slaughter, spend the majority of their time at the Burlington Adoption Center. While it is the closest shelter to Elon, it also houses a great new volunteer program.

It is so welcoming at Burlington, said junior Nancy Whitman, co-coordinator of SHARE. We are so appreciative of the opportunity.

Students can visit Burlingtons adoption center from 1 to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. According to some, it is smaller and more personal than the Greensboro Animal Shelter, where volunteers from all over the area spend their time.

The animals living in these shelters come from many different atmospheres. Some were abused, are strays or donated by owners who cant take care of them anymore.

Slaughter is one of the most active SHARE volunteers and makes an effort to visit the animals three or four times a week. Whitman would like to stay more involved within the shelter, but also enjoys making the program grow at Elon by doing administrative duties.

One of SHAREs goals for this year is getting the word out about the program and its benefits as well as increasing its finances. SHARE can sponsor an animal and work with them one-on-one, so the animal gets used to the same people. Whitman says that SHARE also donates most of what they earn to several other shelters in the area.

Both Whitman and Slaughter said that they would like to remain active within the animal community when they leave Elon and appreciate the opportunities SHARE has created. They encourage anyone to help out and will train all interested volunteers.

If you are interested in volunteering, visit the Kernodle Center for Service Learning Office in Moseley 230 or contact Whitman and Cooper by email at share@elon.edu.

Reporter: Laurie Craft - 02/22/07