If you’re a true animal lover, then you’re probably aware of the fact that humanity, as a species, is definitely not doing right by them. Both domestically and abroad, there are plenty of animals at risk or living in less-than-ideal conditions. However, there are people who are fighting to help, rescue, and rehabilitate animals all over, as well, and you could play a role in that fight, whether a little or a large one. Here are some of the things that you can do if you want to help animals.
Report stray animals whenever you see them
If you see a dog, cat, or another animal on the street that you are concerned isn’t supposed to be there, you shouldn’t ignore them. Even despite the fact that, in some cases, those animals may well be pets belonging to someone else, if you’re not certain, then you should get in touch with a local animal shelter that will come to check them out. If the animal is chipped or has another marker of identification, then it should be able to get in contact with the owner. Either way, you don’t want to leave them on the street where they can become victims of hunger, disease, and human cruelty.
Contribute to a clean environment
One of the big problems facing animals across the globe, nearby and afar, is the sheer amount of litter and refuse that humans have collectively thrown into their environments. You should take the time to pick up a little litter, whether it’s just the litter that’s around your own neighborhood or you want to join a larger effort to clean up a local environment. This way, you can prefer animals from getting tangled up, from consuming trash, and from otherwise getting hurt or even killed by the litter left behind by those who simply don’t care to think about the consequences. Even a little litter-picking each week can make a huge difference.
Create a more wildlife-friendly environment in your own garden
Local wildlife can all too often be treated as pests and most peoples’ efforts go towards keeping them out of the garden, rather than inviting them in. However, your garden could provide a safe and thriving habitat for birds, small mammals, and more that won’t bother your home too much at all. You should look at some of the ways you can make your garden a little more wildlife friendly, such as providing bird feeders and next boxes, ensuring there’s a clean water source, and planting flowers for the local pollinating insects. Sharing a little more of our space with wildlife can take some getting used to, but it’s worth doing, especially when you consider how much space we have taken from them.
Adopt a pet from your local shelter
When it comes to welcoming a new pet into the home, it’s true that sometimes buying one can be easier. After all, raising a dog from a puppy means that you have a much bigger role in the personality they develop. However, even if animals from the shelter might be a bit older, might have their own specific needs, and have their own history to cope with, you would be doing a huge kindness if you adopted a new dog, cat, or other animals from the shelter. You’re giving one pet the nurturing and loving home they need, first and foremost, but you’re also taking some of the strain off shelters, which rarely get enough resources to provide the standard of care they want to all the animals they take in.
Fostering is good, too
Some people aren’t able to give up space in their homes permanently to take in an animal. Instead, you may be willing to take in an animal temporarily. This is what fostering a pet is all about. There are plenty of animals that may not be well suited to the environment at a shelter, whether it’s due to anxiety, aggression around other animals, or simply because they have needs that a shelter cannot provide for. Many of them are older animals that could benefit from a quieter place to stay. When you foster a pet, you can end up looking after them for some time, but the shelter will be trying to find them a place to adopt them.
Raise funds or donate to animal-saving efforts
If you’re not able to give as much time as you would like, but you would like to help, then raising funds, donating, or purchasing fundraising items can all be a good way to give back, and you can even get something back to remind you of the good that you did. For instance, there are organizations that sell things like specialty plates for your car, and use the proceeds from the sales to help run animal shelters and to provide funds for spaying and neutering animals in the local community. Whether you make a one-off purchase, a recurring donation, or even help them raise funds, you can do a lot of good by supporting organizations like those.
Donate resources to a shelter directly
As mentioned above, there are a lot of ways to raise and donate money to shelters, but there are many shelters that will take in all manner of pet goods if you have any spare lying at home, or even if you spot some that are on sale for cheap at a pet store or something like a car boot sale. This can include things like pet beds, leashes, crates, and toys, so long as they are in good condition. However, there are also resources like towels, old newspapers, pet food, and kitty litter that are pretty much always in demand in pet shelters that you can give as well.
Volunteer at your local shelter
If you don’t have as much in the ways as resources to give, but you do have plenty of time, then you had better believe that animal shelters can make use of that as well. There are many roles you can perform as a volunteer at an animal shelter. You can often choose which animals you’re comfortable working with, and you can provide general services such as walking dogs, handling animals, and helping with grooming. Of course, you may also be asked to help with efforts outside of the shelter, such as helping with adoption events and fundraisers. Depending on what specialist skills you have to offer, you might be asked to even do other things, such as providing legal aid, donating medical services, providing photography, and so on.
Join and spread the word about organizations doing good for animals
If you want to get really involved in the cause of protecting animals, then you should look at animal-friendly organizations that you can join and follow. You can become an advocate in your own circle for the efforts of organizations that are working on a much larger scale. For instance, you can sign up for their emails and messages, repost their posts on social media, and make sure that you’re signal boosting and joining their events and fundraisers whenever you have the opportunity. Many of these animal-friendly organizations are made up of individual members, just like you, coming together to contribute to a cause they care for.
Be more mindful of the cruelty in our production chain
All sorts of products that we use come from a production cycle that benefits from the cruelty experienced by animals. Animal testing is still very much alive, with monkeys, horses, rabbits, mice, and many other kinds of animals being forced to undergo tests that can cause distress and suffering, and even pain and genuine harm. To that end, you should follow organizations that track cruelty-free products that you can start to choose when you do your shopping. So much of the production cycle of many of the goods we use is unethical that it can feel impossible to avoid some kind of moral quandary when you go shopping, but doing at least a little to avoid products made with animal cruelty is an unambiguous good.
Spread the word
Simply put, being a voice for the voiceless can do a lot more good than you might think. Yes, it’s true that some people don’t like being told what to do, even if they know that there are more moral ways to live your life. But being understanding, empathetic, and highlighting the plights that you’re made aware of, as well as the fundraisers, organizations, and volunteer efforts that you know can start to sway more and more people in your circle. They may not get quite as involved as you, but they might start doing a little more to help animals in their own way, as well.
Do what you can and what you feel comfortable doing to help animals and try not to feel too guilty if you can’t do more. Even contributing to animal welfare is a lot more than most do, so rest assured you’re on the side of good.