@suzanagartner
Ways to Celebrate World Animal Day 2024
Happy World Animal Day which highlights the plight of animals, advocates for animal rights and greater protection. It also sheds light on important issues affecting animals such as animal abuse and cruelty. It offers solutions to find ways to end animal cruelty and make this planet a better place for all living beings. Every year there is a new theme and this year according to World Animal Day’s official website, this year’s theme is: “Great or small, love them all.”
I love this year’s theme that every animal deserves to have a voice. They cannot speak for themselves. Here are a few ways to help animals and celebrate this occasion in a meaningful way:
1. Volunteer:
You can find an animal organization that aligns with your passion and become a volunteer. By doing so, you can make a difference in transforming the lives of animals. For instance, my journey into animal advocacy started years ago as a teenager when I decided that I wanted to become a volunteer dog walker at a shelter.
2. Adopt Animals from Shelters and Rescues or Become a Foster Friend/ Pet Parent:
I have been encouraging others to adopt animals from shelters and rescues on my social media and blogs but you can do the same! Visit your local animal shelter or find a rescue with animals in need of a loving home.
If you cannot adopt an animal for whatever reason (i.e. travel, moving, too expensive, there are other animals in the home, etc.), that is ok. You can still help by providing a temporary sanctuary for animals that need a home and for those that don’t do well in shelters. Becoming a foster parent is an enormous contribution as it makes room for another animal. You can help relieve the shelters that are overburdened and socialize that dog or cat or rabbit and give them a place to call home for a while. You might fall in love and want to adopt that animal or help find a family.
3. Support Cruelty-Free Brands:
To help stop animal cruelty, simple ways are to purchase products that do not test on animals and please encourage others by educating and sharing information. You can share brands that are cruelty-free, vegan and ethical and commit to live cruelty-free and know that you are making a difference for animals and the planet.
4. Go Vegan for Animals:
If you want a simple way to help animals and celebrate animals on this occasion, I would encourage you to choose plant based foods and go vegan the day. By doing so, you are helping reduce animal suffering and the demand for animal-based products. If you are going to a restaurant, choose a vegan-friendly place to support.
5. Be a Friend for Animals:
You can find other ways to become involved too. As I mentioned in the first paragraph, on World Animal Day, important issues affecting animals such as animal abuse and cruelty are highlighted. If you see an animal suffering, please speak up and contact your local authorities and report it. In my book, “A Voice for Animals”, I have a chapter on protecting animals and I provide a list of animal organizations and discuss ways to become an animal advocate or activist and get involved. Animals rely on humans to help them as they cannot speak up for themselves. Let’s celebrate these magnificent creatures that share this planet with us, big or small, today and every day!
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