Education & Advocacy
Action
But, what can I do? When it comes to animal welfare, many people feel a deep sense of compassion but are often unsure about how to make a meaningful impact. The common response, "But what can I do?" reflects this uncertainty. Fortunately, there are numerous ways you can get involved in animal welfare policy initiatives and make a difference. Here's a guide to help you take the first steps.
Educate Yourself and Others
Understanding the issues is the first step towards making a difference. Read up on current animal welfare policies, the challenges animals face, and the organizations working to improve their lives.
- Research: Look for reputable sources and organizations that provide information on animal welfare issues. Let us help.
- Share Information: Use social media to share what you've learned. Educating your friends and family can multiply your impact.
Support Legislation
Support laws and regulations that protect animals. Your voice can influence policymakers.
- Stay Informed: Keep up with proposed legislation related to animal welfare at local, state, and national levels.
- Contact Legislators: Write or call your representatives to express your support for animal-friendly policies. Personalized messages are often the most effective. Use our forms.
- Write or call your mayor and local municipality leaders to express your support for animal-friendly policies. Personalized messages are often the most effective. Find your mayor here.
- Sign Petitions: Many organizations including Animal Humane Advocacy create petitions to show widespread support for specific issues. Add your name to help demonstrate public interest.
Volunteer Your Time
Many organizations rely on volunteers to carry out their mission.
- Local Shelters and Rescues: These organizations often need help with daily tasks such as feeding, cleaning, and socializing animals.
- Advocacy Groups: Volunteer to help with events, administrative tasks, or online advocacy. Contact the AHA.
- Adopt: If you're ready for a long-term commitment, consider adopting a pet from a shelter.
- Foster: Fostering is a temporary but impactful way to help animals, especially those needing special care or socialization before they can be adopted.
- Local Groups: Join or start a local animal welfare group to collaborate on initiatives.
- Online Communities: Participate in online forums and social media groups dedicated to animal welfare.
Practice Ethical Choices
- Diet: Consider reducing or eliminating animal products from your diet.
- Products: Choose cruelty-free products that do not test on animals.
- Entertainment: Avoid supporting industries that exploit animals, such as circuses, zoos, or marine parks.
Adopt don't Shop
Overpopulation and Puppy Mills
Adopting a pet is not only a fulfilling personal experience but also a crucial step in addressing larger issues such as animal overpopulation and the unethical practices of puppy mills. With numerous options available for adopting animals, you can make a significant impact on these problems while providing a loving home to a deserving animal.
The Problem of Overpopulation
Animal overpopulation is a serious issue that leads to millions of animals ending up in shelters each year. Many of these animals are euthanized due to a lack of resources and space. Adopting animals from shelters and rescues helps reduce this overpopulation and gives these animals a chance at a better life.
- Shelter Overcrowding: Shelters often operate at full capacity, struggling to care for the influx of homeless animals. By adopting, you free up space and resources for other animals in need.
- Euthanasia Reduction: Every adoption helps lower the number of animals that face euthanasia due to overcrowding and limited resources.
The Impact of Puppy Mills
Puppy mills are commercial breeding facilities that prioritize profit over the welfare of animals. These mills often keep animals in inhumane conditions, leading to health and behavioral issues. By choosing to adopt instead of buying from pet stores or breeders, you directly undermine the puppy mill industry.
- Inhumane Conditions: Animals in puppy mills suffer from poor living conditions, lack of medical care, and minimal socialization.
- Ethical Choice: Adopting from shelters and rescue groups is a humane and ethical choice that discourages the continuation of puppy mills.
Many Options for Adoption
There are many ways to adopt animals, making it easier than ever to find a pet that fits your lifestyle and preferences. This wide range of options ensures that everyone can find a companion while contributing to the solution.
- Local Shelters: These facilities house a variety of animals, including dogs, cats, rabbits, and more. They provide a safe haven for stray, abandoned, and surrendered pets.
- Rescue Groups: Specialized rescue groups focus on specific breeds or types of animals. They often operate through foster networks, providing personalized care and rehabilitation.
- Online Platforms: Websites like Petfinder, Adopt-a-Pet, and Rescue Me! aggregate listings from shelters and rescues, allowing you to search for adoptable pets based on location, breed, age, and more.
- Adoption Events: Many communities host adoption events where multiple shelters and rescue groups showcase animals needing homes, making it easier to meet and adopt pets in person.
The Benefits of Adoption
Adopting a pet has numerous benefits, both for the adopter and the animal.
- Saving Lives: Each adoption directly saves the life of the adopted animal and opens up space for another animal in need.
- Health Benefits: Many adopted animals come spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and health-checked, ensuring a good start in their new homes.
- Emotional Rewards: Adopters often report deep emotional satisfaction from giving a second chance to an animal in need.
- Support System: Shelters and rescue groups often provide post-adoption support, including training advice and veterinary care resources.
*Note external links are not an indication of endorsement or partnership.
Congressional Bills to Fund USDA and Department of Interior
Your Voice Matters. Filling out the form below that will be sent to Congress
Currently, Congress is moving forward with legislation to allocate funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of the Interior for the 2024 fiscal year. These annual appropriations bills play a crucial role in determining how the federal government allocates resources to manage and implement its programs. These bills encompass a broad spectrum of issues, including those related to animal welfare, providing a prime opportunity to enhance protections for pets, horses, farm animals, and more.
Farm Animal Confinement: Exploring Alternatives
Your Voice Matters
In industrialized farming operations, laying hens, pregnant pigs (sows), and veal calves often endure confinement in cramped cages and crates that restrict their movement to the point where they cannot comfortably lie down, turn around, or fully extend their limbs. In response to growing concerns about animal welfare, several states have enacted legislation aimed at protecting farm animals. These laws prohibit the use of battery cages for laying hens, gestation crates for sows, and veal crates for calves. Currently, 15 states have implemented bans on one or more of these confinement practices, while numerous others are in the process of considering similar legislation.
Ways to Help
There are many ways to get involved and support this cause. Using the link below will contact your State Representatives with your urgent message.
Pet Custody
Laws Are Changing
Close to the heart of the Animal Humane Advocacy's founder, fortunately, laws are changing for rightful pet owners across the United States and in many other countries.
While laws concerning human children in divorce are designed to protect the children's best interests, the laws for pets are intended to benefit the owners instead.
More recently, the focus is less on divorce itself and more on the well-being of the pets. These laws are currently being challenged in many states and are thoroughly discussed in the books "Never Left Behind" and "Greatest Canines."
What is Considered Pet Custody?
Currently, under existing pet ownership laws, pets are considered personal property, similar to a car or piece of furniture. However, unlike these items, pets hold significant sentimental value that cannot be compensated with money or exchanged for other property.
As a result, courts are increasingly recognizing the concept of pet custody arrangements in cases of divorce or separation. Sources: American Bar Association or use our Contact Page for additional information, as we have worked with many legal professionals both in the United States and Canada who have drafted active legislation.
Animal Abuse/Action
If you suspect that someone is abusing animals, it is important to take action. Report your concerns about potential abuse or neglect to the local authorities responsible for animal welfare.
If you witness a crime in progress, call 911 immediately. If you suspect animal abuse or neglect, reach out to the appropriate enforcement agency in the area where the abuse is happening.
This could be the local police, animal control, Animal Humane Advocacy, or another humane organization. If you're uncertain who to contact, your local police or animal control can provide guidance.
Working together to stop violence against people and animals, you can always consult the National Link Coalition.
Make a Difference
Animal Humane Advocacy is a registered 501 (c)(3) non-for-profit all donations are tax deductible