@suzanagartner
Although every moment we should strive to be kind and compassionate toward others – especially those vulnerable members of our society such as children, elderly, and animals, this occasion “Be Kind to Animals Month” was created in 1915 and is aimed at raising social awareness and educating others about ways to show kindness and compassion toward animals and we celebrate the special human-animal bond.
Some of the ways that we can show appreciation to animals is to help them. Animals don’t have a voice so they rely on humans to advocate on their behalf and protect them.
You can become a Foster Parent. For those of you that cannot adopt but still want to help shelter animals, a great way to do so is to provide temporary care and a loving home to vulnerable animals in shelters that need to be socialized, and taken out of the shelter atmosphere (which can be very stressful), and provide them with comfort. The great thing about fostering is that it’s a big help for animals and shelters so they can bring in more animals to save, and it’s not a long term commitment. If you are not able to afford taking care of a companion animal but want to help, fostering can be ideal. Most shelters will provide financial coverage for caring for the animal including food, veterinary expenses, dog training, cat litter, food, guidance, and offer support along the way. You might even find a forever fur friend and end up adopting that animal in need. Either way, you are helping the cause and being kind to an animal, which is amazing!!
Report animal cruelty if you see an animal being mistreated or in need of protection to your local authorities or SPCA. Animal cruelty can include neglect, abuse, and mistreatment. Other types of animal cruelty included: factory farming, wildlife hunting, and speaking out against animals held in captivity by banning these businesses, as well as purchasing #crueltyfee cosmetic products and no cosmetic testing on animals.
Be Kind to Animals recognizes the need to treat animals with kindness, and compassion regardless of the species. Kindness to animals extends to all living, breathing, sentient beings and the goal is to raise awareness about the importance of treating animals with respect and protecting their natural habitats and environments. This month and always, let’s please show kindness to all living creatures, including our beloved pets, companion animals in shelters, farm animals, and wild life creatures.
To learn more on ways to show kindness to animals, check out my new book, “A Voice for Animals: The Social Movement that Provides Dignity and Compassion to Animals.”