Here are five words for animal-lovers to keep in mind: Actions speak louder than words. Saying “I love animals” isn’t going to keep dogs or cats from being euthanized, rhinoceroses from being poached for their horns or foxes from being hunted for their fur.
Animal lovers, including myself, have practical opportunities to make a difference in the lives of our favorite animals.
Throughout my life, my family has owned eight dogs, and of the eight, four were adopted or rescued. Deciding not to purchase a newborn puppy from a puppy mill or a breeder during the process of searching for our pets was the best decision because it gave a dog another chance at a better life.
If you cannot donate money to foundations or become actively involved in a community that is working to save animals, adopting your next pet is the No. 1 way to change the life of an animal.
Most animals in shelters have been abandoned or abused and are in need of people who will care for them and give them the love they deserve. As someone who recently adopted a dog last year who was abandoned by a family after being used for breeding, adopting a pet changes its life and yours.
Although saving an entire species sounds too large a movement, there are daily actions animal lovers can make that can make the movement of saving animals grow.
Every penny spent will make a difference. Whether it’s sending donations to shelters or ceasing to purchase makeup products that test on animals, the businesses people choose to support or not support through their finances will force people to think about what they’re doing to animals.
If money is tight, there is always the option to spread awareness to others. For animal lovers, that starts with sharing links, videos or photos on social media platforms to make their network of people notice the importance of taking a stand for the creatures that can’t do it themselves.
While hitting “share,” “like” or the “retweet” buttons seem less of an action than giving your time or money to organizations, it’s not. One post can give the right person who has the means to fund programs or donate their time the push they need to take action.
There is no excuse for someone who is passionate about something not to act on it. For animal lovers, saying you love animals is not enough. There are numerous ways to make yours and animals’ voices be heard. When your actions can determine the existence, the health and the life of an animal, you have to make it count because without us, every sheltered, caged, abused or abandoned animal has no chance at the possibility of having a better life.
