The University of New Mexico Staff Council received a record number of donations for its Happy Tails Donation Drive benefiting Animal Humane New Mexico.

For the past eight years Staff Council has organized the drive to be able to provide a variety of items to state’s leading private animal welfare agency.

“This year we had over 500 donations, which is up from last year,” said Mark Reynolds, a UNM staff councilor and one of the organizers of the drive. “We continue to be surprised every year by all the donations that come in.”

From Nov. 16 through Dec. 7, UNM staff were encouraged to donate cat and dog food, pheromone collars, dog beds and a slew of other items Animal Humane had requested. People were able to drop off donations at more than a dozen sites across campus, including North and South Campus. UNM’s Physical Plant Department collected and stored the donations until they were ready for pickup.

“Happy Tails is just another event that Staff Council feels like it can give back to and pay it forward,” Reynolds said.

Reynolds also organizes the annual Staff Council Community Service Project benefiting Roadrunner Food Bank of New Mexico. He said more than 100 volunteers have already signed up for the Dec. 28 event.