Do you love animals? Our mission is to provide resources, networking opportunities, and hands-on experiences to College of Southern Nevada students of all majors who share a love for animals. Whether you're exploring animal-related careers or hobbies, , or just looking to make some friends, we’re here for you! we’re here for you! You can view who our current mentors, seminar speakers, workshop instructors, volunteer affiliates are here.Main Campus: Charleston
Meetings: Once a week on a voted day (for in person), virtual meetings available in our Discord server.
Future Activities: Volunteer Group Sessions (Non-profit Organizations), Topic-Specific Seminars, Pet CPR and other Workshops

• Become a Member

• Discord
• Instagram
• Bluesky

News

ONLINE SEMINAR: THERAPY DOGS + PET SIDE GIGS
Join us for a crash course on therapy dogs and how to turn pet sitting or dog walking into a successful side gig!
🕧 12:00 - 1:00 PM
🗓️ TBA
🔗Virtual Meeting Link (TBA)

OFFICIAL RECOGNITION!
Our club has been officially recognized by the College of Southern Nevada Student Government as of 3/7/2025!Please stay tuned for news of an event for celebration!

NEW CONTRIBUTOR: SOUTHERN NEVADA BEAGLE RESCUE FOUNDATION
We have added the Southern Nevada Beagle Rescue Foundation to our list of contributors!Website: southernnevadabeaglerescue.com

Get In Touch

Whether you have a question for us, need assistance with something, have a suggestion, or anything else, we're always happy to hear from you.

Become a Member

If you are a business or freelancing individual that would like to be included in our roster of Contributors, please apply here.
If for some reason you cannot see the form below this text, click here.

Events

• Jump to Event Calendar

Event Calendar

Below is our event calendar. If you are having trouble viewing it, click here!

Resources

pet owners in need

If you or a loved one are struggling to keep your pet due to personal circumstances, we have some resources below that may help!

New pet owner Info

Disclaimer: While we try our best to provide the most accurate resources for all animals, it's important that you remain cautious and research further than what we have provided, as pet ownership information is subjective and can vary depending on the type of animal (eg. reptiles).

Service Animal Resources

In Nevada and some other states, a license to own any dog (or other animal) is required by law (R 7.08.010). However, this is not a license meant to "prove" if an animal is a service animal or other working animal, it is a license for general ownership. Service animals are exempt from the fee for this license (R 7.08.070), this is because there is no formal certification process or paperwork recognized by the state or federal government for service animals (source: ADA.gov).You can find other info below.

Research Sources

Contributors

Contributors are individuals, businesses, and organizations we collaborate with to offer opportunities and resources to our members. They operate independently with their own policies and procedures, and we do not assume responsibility for their actions.If you are a business or individual that would like to be included in our roster of Contributors, please apply here.Below is the current list of contributors who we work with to provide opportunities and resources to our members.They are listed in the order they have applied to be club contributors. We truly appreciate their dedication and contributions to our community!

Zenith k9

ACC Role(s): Mentor, Seminar Speaker, Workshop Instructor
Website: zenithk9.com
Contact Name: Angela Patton
Expertise: Dog training, Dog sports, Pet grooming, Pet boarding, Wildlife Rehabilitation
Phone: 725-222-0465
Email: [email protected]
“I've been professionally training for over 20 years. I'm an AKC Evaluator, PSA and Mondioring competitor and trainer. I've trained for movies, television and print ads. I also train pet dogs, behavior issues and service dogs.”

Guide Dogs For The Blind

ACC Role(s): Mentor, Seminar Speaker, Workshop Instructor
Website: guidedogs.com
Contact Name: Ashley Tobin
Expertise: Dog training
Phone: 702-498-9893
Email: [email protected]
“I started training my personal dogs at a young age. I have always loved being around animals. When I started college, I became involved with a volunteer group that raises guide dogs for the blind puppies and gets them ready for service dog training. I have been involved with the club for over 5 years and have had 9 puppies from them throughout those years. We are always looking for more people who want to be involved with training or raising service dogs. There are many different ways to volunteer! We have meetings a few times a month where we meet in the henderson/ Las Vegas area and work to socialize these puppies for the first year of their life.”

Evolution Dog Training

ACC Role(s): Mentor, Seminar Speaker, Workshop Instructor
Website: EvolutionDogTraininglv.com
Contact Name: Leanne James
Expertise: Dog training
Phone: 702-997-5462
Email: [email protected]
“I have been a professional dog trainer and licensed veterinary technician for over 18 years, and I love working with dogs. I love teaching and learning! I also hold a pet CPR and first aid class.”

North Creek Golden Retrievers

ACC Role(s): Mentor, Seminar Speaker, Workshop Instructor
Website: northcreekgoldenretrievers.com
Contact Name: Alexy Rollins
Expertise: Dog Sports, Preservation Breeding
Phone: 702-806-3147
Email: [email protected]
“I have been in Golden Retrievers for over 10 years - I show in conformation and have just begun obedience and field work. I have also established the first breed club in Nevada. I pride myself on educating against backyard breeders and the standards that pet owners should look for (in any breed).”

Southern Nevada Beagle Rescue Foundation

Website: southernnevadabeaglerescue.com
Role: Organization President
Contact Name: Rey (Regina) Harman
Expertise: Animal Rescue, Pet Boarding
Phone: 702-493-9779 or 702-358-2999
Email: [email protected]
“I am in my 19th year running this rescue. I was in the medical field over 30 years. I had beagles and started to learn the need many dogs had in rescue. How awful people treat them and how our society uses them for research testing. I have personally saved many from atrocities such as research, puppy mills, hunters. It was an easy transition from people to dogs, I did both to start and as the rescue got busier, the medical field had changed to something very uncaring and I decided to leave it and do rescue only.”

Role Information

Resources

Affordable Therapy Info

1. Search for College/University Programs.
If you're a college/university student, you can start by searching for colleges in your region that have MA/MS/PhD/PsyD programs in counseling, clinical, or therapy. For those who attend the College of Southern Nevada (CSN), they have the Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) program. In other places, often times you'll be seeing a trainee practicing under a licensed clinician. Sometimes there is still a "fee" but it can be as low as $3/session (although it's free at CSN). If you're not a student or staff member, and the institution only serves members, ask if they can recommend affordable therapy options or resources for uninsured individuals.2. Search for Local Therapists Offering Sliding Scale Fees.
Use directories like Psychology Today or Google to search for therapists in your area. Look for the term “sliding scale,” which means fees are adjusted based on income. Some clinicians offer free appointments, though they don’t always advertise this due to financial constraints. If a therapist can’t help directly, ask for referrals to someone who can provide low-cost or free services.3. Community Mental Health Resources
Search for phrases like “community mental health” and “sliding scale” services in your area. Many community programs offer therapy at very low costs, sometimes as little as $1–$5 per session.4. Faith-Based Resources
If religious, spiritual or generally open to utilizing such organizations, consider reaching out to churches, synagogues, temples, or other faith-based organizations. Many offer counseling services, often provided by individuals with formal counseling training.5. Peer Support Groups
Search for “peer support groups” along with any specific mental health concerns. While these groups aren’t therapy, they can offer valuable support and connections to additional resources. If a group doesn’t feel like the right fit, try another.6. Insurance-Based Resources
If you have health insurance and are permitted to use it, contact the insurance provider to request a list of in-network mental health providers. The process may require persistence, but insurers can provide directories of covered therapists. Additionally, ask if providers accept sliding scale payments for any services not fully covered.Honorable Mention: For this section we interviewed Genel Gronkowski who is a CAPS Embedded Therapist for Cornell University's Veterinary students. We are very thankful for the expertise and time she spared to help us!

Ethical Breeders

The ACC will always encourage adoption from rescues/shelters but at the end of the day, we do understand that not everyone will adopt (for various reasons). We’re here to support our entire community, and if you’re going to buy, we want you to do it the right way. If people who preferred to buy did it responsibly, we would have a lot less animals in rescues/shelters, and that’s a good thing for everyone.

What are the best resources for people looking for ethical breeders?
1. Nonprofit Organizations and Clubs
For all domestic animals, breed-specific clubs such as the German Shepherd Dog Club of America usually have directories that can help you get started. Not all breeders in these directories are thoroughly screened though, so research individual breeders carefully.Below are some animal clubs/organizations that are available in the United States.
- Reputable Cat Organizations/Clubs: Cat Fancier's Association (CFA), The International Cat Association (TICA)
- Reputable Dog Organizations/Clubs: United Kennel Club (UKC), American Kennel Club (AKC) Silver State Kennel Club (SSKC, Nevada centered)
- Reputable Livestock Organizations/Clubs: Future Farmers of America (FFA), Nevada Agricultural Fair, Cornell Cooperative Extension Livestock Program Work Team2. Shows & Sporting Events
Conformation shows and sports events are great for meeting great breeders and getting recommendations. For example, the AKC Event Calendar where you can find Las Vegas hosted dog sports by the Silver State Kennel Club.3. Health Testing Databases
Some species do not require any testing but in cats and dogs for example, you can use OFA Advanced Search to find health-tested animals and identify breeders prioritizing health testing (these breeders also usually compete with their animals to improve on flaws).

If you are seeking a dog breeder specifically, we recommend these articles/resources:
• Ethos Veterinary Health: Checklist for Buying a Puppy from a Reputable Breeder
• Ethos Veterinary Health: Tests Reputable Breeders Perform with Veterinarians
• Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine: Selecting a Purebred Puppy
• Better Breeder Institute
• DOGG!T

Breeder Flags

Below is a table of traits that are considered bad or good signs in a breeder.