There are many ways to prevent animal abuse. Use your voice to help!
Since April is Prevent Cruelty to Animals Month, I thought this was a great time to talk to my human readers about ways to prevent animal abuse. You might think we make a lot of noise when we’re howling or whining, but, unfortunately, it’s not easy for us to speak up for ourselves when we’re being mistreated. That’s why we need you to be our voice.
You might not think animal cruelty happens very often, but unfortunately you’d be wrong. Some animals are severely mistreated. An example of this would be if a person left a litter of kittens in an apartment when they moved away with no food or water or puppies put in a plastic bag and tossed into a dumpster. But animal abuse doesn’t have to be this serious. It could be animals who are left outside in the cold winter months with no protection or animals who are fed by their owners but are covered in ticks and fleas.
1. Prepare to report animal abuse.
Know who to call if you are suspicious of animal cruelty. Often, when it’s necessary to report animal abuse, humans admit that they don’t know who to call. I can understand why, since some localities use the police department and others have a designated animal rescue league for responding to pet abuse claims. Even if you think all the animals in your neighborhood are being treated fairly, it’s smart to find out and write down the contact information of the correct agency to contact just in case something were to happen.
2. Be on the lookout for animal abuse
Sometimes the most important thing you can do to help prevent animal abuse is to be constantly aware of your surroundings. Remember, you aren’t only responsible for the animals in your neighborhood. If you visit a friend or are running errands, it’s just as important to be on the lookout for animal abuse.
3. Talk to your children about ways to prevent animal abuse
Looking for easy ways to prevent animal abuse? Talk to your children about being kind to animals. If you raise your children to respect animals, they’ll grow up to be animal advocates. Also, if you make them aware of the signs of animal abuse, they will be able to report it back to you
4. Get involved with a local organization
Many animal organizations are always in search of volunteers and donations. If you’re able to donate some time, contact your local animal rescue league to see how you can be of assistance. They might be looking for people to make a big time commitment by doing something like fostering pets, or just a small time commitment, like walking dogs at local shelters whenever it would fit in your schedule.
5. Advocate for Anti-cruelty laws
Like I said before, we dogs (and other animals) need you to be our voice. If you advocate for stronger laws, eventually there will be harsher penalties, and hopefully fewer people will abuse animals. Advocating can happen in many ways. Write emails or make phone calls to your local and state officials. Join advocacy groups and lobby to change that you believe in.
6. Lead by example
Preventing animal abuse starts right in your home. Do you have animals? If so, show them respect. Make sure they have fresh water and food every day. Give them a safe and comfortable place to sleep. Most of all, be sure they are healthy and well taken care of. If you don’t have an animal in your house, but still want to advocate for us, you can! Spread the words to friends and family. Let them know you are looking for ways to prevent animal abuse, and get involved however you can.
Do you have any more tips for ways to prevent animal abuse? If so, let us know in the comment section.
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Great article. I will be going through many of these issues as well..