Readers Respond: How Do You Help Animals

Responses: 33

By Doris Lin, About.com Guide

In what ways do you help animals? Do you buy cruelty-free products? Did you adopt your dog from a shelter? Are you vegan? Let us know! Let Us Know

I've been a vegetarian all my life. My mother didn't eat meat while she was pregnant (thanks mom!). All my life I've had to defend myself for not eating meat as if it is some kind of wacky idea, and probably not very healthy. They are shocked to hear that it is about the same to me the idea of eating a cow or a dog or a mouse. I think animals are cool, and yes so are plants. I notice when I walk on grass. Animals make me happy. I have always had a cat, one at a time, rescued or found, s/n. The first 12 years of my life I asked for a monkey at every gift opportunity, then I realized that monkey would be sad. We need happy animals around us. Not ones that would leave if they could. No pet prisoners! I was very sad to see the number of declawed (amputated) cats at the shelter. Why in the world would anyone think that is accecptable? Ok, so what can I do to help?
—Guest Amy

manytimesisee stray cats around my house so for awhile i began to feed them food from the local pet store. (Ed. note: If you are feeding stray cats, it's important to spay and neuter.)
—Guest anomyus

The main problem in wildlife management is that state agencies are funded by killing licenses and vy for Pittman-Robertson federal funds - the more licenses sold, the more P-R money comes in. We need to organize to REPLACE killing licenses with general public funding tied to fair representative say to democratize the agencies. If you google the 2006 National Audubon society Economic impacts of wildlife WATCHING state by state and compare it to economic impacts of hunting (done by the hunter set up U.S Fish & Wildlife feds), you will find that even in a hunter heavy state like Wisconsin, wildlife watchers outnumber hunters 5 to one and bring ELEVEN times the revenue to state and local tax coffers through wildlife WATCHING. Yet we have no say. Get Julie Lewin's book, GET POLITICAL FOR ANIMALS. She says the animal rights movement has wasted decades not realizing that VERY SMALL ORGANIZED GROUPS get legislation passed because legislators only care about being re-elected by small margi
—Guest Patricia Randolph

Over the last couple months I began a grassroots fundraiser to collect donations for the WSPA and the MSPCA-Angell. I have been offering a buy 1 get 1 free facial with a donation collected at the time of service. I have a passion for animal welfare, and I came up with the idea of free facials for donations. I also just began a website where I will be selling dog clothes with a large portion of the proceeds goes to the WSPA. My passion is to help bring awareness of animal issues and donate to my cause.
—norenemagnuson

Do no harm sums up the Vegan life style, for me. Tell me do you change culture to support your opinions? I was introduced to this lifestyle and gave it some thought. However, my choice is my choice and yet I have been given "the cold shoulder" for not changing my lifestyle to match the Vegan. When do we treat humans less than the equal of the animal kingdom? When do we learn to live in peace without promoting negativity to one's choices? Clearly their are those whose attitudes to non-vegans leave a bad taste!
—Guest drgnflies

I love animals and i want to do everything i can in my future to help them. i am a buddhist who belive in reincarnation and that animals are completly equal to us we are no higher than them which alot of people think and its bugging me. i am a vegetarian and i have a hamster, lots of fish and two dogs and do little projects in the gardens to help hedgehogs, rabbits, birds and snakes ect. i dont kill anything at all not even the tinniest flies as that was once a person. help animals as much as you can they are innocent and alot of people are evil we need to protect them.
—Guest kimberley

In spain and elsewhere in such a mach an innocet bufallo tryed help the man who has hanged from that Red devel as the Buffalo thought but....painfully killed Its ashame I want to help buffalo and I can because there is a long story I will submit it to you in order help the innocent Buffalo or please show the way to help him...... Guest from Aden Ali shafiq aman /yemen thank you
—Guest Ali Aman

i help animals by defending there rights in the court of law if they have been mistreated and I also work as a Veterinary Officer where I give treatments to animals when they get sick.I feel like going back to college to learn more of how i can give treatment for other problems.
—Guest Emmanuel LK Sichali

My dog is adopted froma shelter. I am a vegetarian. I never ever wear any fur or leather and I do strong activist through social networks. I sign pledges I find in the Internet.
—CamArz1545

I'm vegan and have been for three years. This is the single best way to help animals because it saves 100 animals a year and it prevents animals from suffering on factory farms. I don't buy or wear fur, leather, wool, down, or silk either. I buy products that aren't tested on animals. I don't go to places that exploit like circuses, Sea World, or rodeos because they are known for animal cruelty. I cook amazing vegan meals and desserts that even carnivores love. I have rescue animals and would never buy instead of adopt. I educate people on animal cruelty and animal rights and spread the word as much as possible. I share movies like Earthlings (check it out on Google Videos) that are about animal rights. I'm studying journalism in college and would love to work for a vegetarian or vegan magazine or online magazine someday.
—Guest Stephanie Heckman

We adopted our cat from a shelter. We neutered him. I became a vegan. I donate on occasion to the local shelter. We take part in peacefull demonstrations against animal testing. I make sure all our household products and my make up isn' t tested on animals. I became a godmother for straydogs.be.
—Guest Boghe Sanne

I help in many ways, cash donations, volenteerism, adopting, taking in the unwanted and holding lost animals and posting found signs. I love animals!
—bshianne49

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Doris Lin
Animal Rights Guide