In 2006 AWT developed Student’s Animal Guardian Alliance (SAGA) as a new project initiative. SAGA’s mission is to assist in the formation of new high school animal welfare clubs and to provide resources for existing clubs. SAGA is offering students an array of resources including links to a variety of other issue specific sites, contests and possible grants for individual clubs, timely news reports on various animal welfare topics as well as a forum that will allow students to be connected with students from other high schools. We believe that this interactive feature will allow students to be a part of a larger community of young people with like interests where ideas and experiences can be shared.

In 2007 SAGA expanded our resources and services while educating many students on animal welfare issues, and helping them learn how to be effective advocates in their schools and communities. SAGA also spearheaded a survey asking students about their feelings on animal dissection verses humane alternatives. This survey collected valuable data that was distributed to other major animal protection organizations that focus on dissection. HSUS and SAGA released a joint press release with the findings which were published in a variety of news articles. SAGA hopes this survey will help other organizations pass dissection choice laws in states that do not yet protect student’s ethical rights. In addition to the website and the dissection survey, SAGA also awarded two grants to High School Clubs helping them educate others in their schools and communities about animal welfare issues.

Please check out SAGA’s web site at www.clubsaga.org