How to Register Your Animal Rights Club

Written by Starlynn Costa, peta2 campus rep assistant advisor

Creating a student organization at your school is a great way to meet like-minded people and help spread awareness about animal rights. Having an established group will also help make things like reserving space for your events a lot easier.

Registering your animal rights club may seem daunting at first, but SOS is here to help. As the president of Animal Rights Alliance at the University of South Alabama, I’ve compiled tips from my experiences to help you get started. If you follow them, you’ll be hosting events with your established animal rights club in no time.

1. Look Up Your School’s Registration Requirements

Every college is different. Your school may require your group to have a faculty advisor and a certain number of members. Recruit some friends and ask a professor if they’d be willing to help. People are usually open to the idea of helping animals. The more team members you have, the better!

2. Fill All Required Roles

If your school requires a certain number of club members, various roles may need to be filled. To start, you can fill the position of club president. You may also need a vice president and a treasurer.

Need some help recruiting new club members? Check out our “Guide to a Successful School Club” for tips.

3. Be Aware of Registration Deadlines

Typically, you’ll need to renew your registration every school year, but some schools may have a deadline for each semester. 📆📌

If you miss the registration deadline for the semester, you can still register for the next one. It also doesn’t hurt to ask whether your school accepts late registrations. However, even without being officially recognized as a student organization, you and your club can still speak up for animals. Search for your school’s free speech zones or host an off-campus protest. You can even turn a class assignment into a presentation on animal rights. There are many forms of activism you can do!

4. Think of a Name for Your Club

Every club needs a name, so here are a few examples to get you started:

• Knights for Animal Rights (University of Central Florida)
• Wesleyan Animal Defense League (Wesleyan University)
• Animal Rights Alliance (University of South Alabama)
• Advocacy for All Animals (University of California–Santa Barbara)
• Bruins Opposing Speciesism (University of California–Los Angeles)

5. Attend Mandatory Training

Some schools may have in-person or online training that at least one club member will be required to attend. These training courses may cover topics including advertising, event planning, and leadership.

6. Develop Your Constitution and By-Laws

Club constitutions may take on many forms, but they should always include the club’s purpose and how it will be structured. 📜⚖️

To make things easier, here’s a template for you to use. Your school may provide a sample as a reference.

7. Register!

Look for your school’s registration portal or form to fill out. Once approved, you’re all set for a great semester of activism!

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By now, you may have some ideas for events you want to host. Check out our SOS campaign guide for more tips and the SOS Instagram page to see what our current campus reps are up to.