ELYRIA, Ohio — A Lorain County student and her friends got together to make bracelets to raise funds to help pets at the Friendship Animal Protective League (APL) as they await adoption.

“I’ve just always loved animals. They are very kind and sweet and they always understand you," said 7th grade student Ava Mauser.

Mauser is a big animal lover and often visits the APL in Elyria. When she heard the pets needed help, she gathered her friends together to make bracelets to raise funds for the no-kill shelter.

“Well, we wanted to raise money, and we wanted help the animals because people aren’t really coming to the animal shelter that much, and we decided to raise donations, too,” Mauser said.

In one weekend, the students sold more than 100 bracelets with the funds going to the APL.

“I think Ava is amazing. Her and her friends did something truly incredible they put their minds to it they created a way helping fundraiser for something they care about,” said Greg Wiley, the executive director of Friendship APL.

Wiley said he wishes he had more volunteers like Mauser and her friends helping the APL.

“I’m always so inspired by kids who go out of their way to try to make the world a better place, to be the change that they want to see in the world, and to do that kind of work, and I think it should be an inspiration to everybody out there that you can make a difference,” Wiley said.

Despite the pandemic, Mauser said she’ll continue to help and care for the animals until the pets find a forever home.

“When people aren’t, like, adopting animals and they have to, like, stay in their shelters and people are coming as much and they are not being let out as much, it’s hard for the dogs to just stay in their cages and stuff,” Mauser said.