I love animals. I have two dogs at my dad’s house. I have another dog, one hamster, two rabbits, and two rats at my mom’s. I feel good when I donate money to animal organizations. I feel bad for caged animals at the zoo.
I wish for a better world for both animals and people. I believe anyone can help if they want. I want to help, and I hope I can show you why.
Why I think we should help animals
These are some reasons kids should care about animals. We both live in the same world and I think we need to make sure we’re both surviving. Second, I believe animals deserve respect, just like people. Animals have feelings. They have feelings the same reason we do: because they have minds and hearts. Mostly, I think we should help animals because I see them suffer and I feel bad for them.
There are many reasons that animals need help today. Pollution and other things people do destroy their
natural homes. For example, sometimes people cut down trees to build big, fancy buildings. What about the birds
and other forest animals who lived in those woods? They have nowhere to go, no homes.
Some species are being hunted to near extinction, which means that their kind of animal is in danger of disappearing.
Other animals are being used in cruel experiments. Sometimes companies test health and beauty products on rabbits and other small animals.
Finally, some animals are exposed to unfair conditions in zoos and circuses. They might be kept in cages that are too small for them, or they might be beaten during shows. I know it is hard to think about all the ways people are hurting animals. But there are a lot of people who do their best to help.
How you can help
Some groups collect money to buy land for
habitat protection,
and to fund local education about why and how to help. Some provide safe places, called
sanctuaries,
for hurt, orphaned, ill, or abused animals. Some people are helping--but we have to work harder.
There are tons of ways to help out. No matter what you like to do, you can help. Some of the things you can do are: giving money, volunteering, adopting an animal at a shelter, and giving money to help a particular animal at a safe place.
If you want to help out nearby, you can:
Call your local humane society. You can find the number in the red business pages in your phone book. You’ll probably be able to help out walking dogs, cleaning cages, or cuddling animals.
Adopt a pet. If it’s okay with your family, adopt a friend while also helping a homeless pet by looking at a humane society or rescue group for your pet, instead of a person who breeds animals or a pet store.
Here are some things you can do if you want to help animals everywhere:
If you’re into birds, try looking at the ways to protect bald eagles. From using lawn chemicals that are safer for birds to making sure that eagles’ nesting sites don’t get destroyed, you’ll have lots of choices.
Here’s one for horse lovers! Check out the different monthly payments you can donate to the Ohio Hooved Animal Humane Society to help pay for certain things for horses there.
Some safe places that provide homes to sick, hurt, orphaned, or meanly treated animals give people the choice to pay a certain amount of money to help an animal there. Sometimes you get a picture of the animal you’re helping. You might also hear about its life. One of these places is the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, where you can sponsor a dolphin, sea otter, or sea turtle nest (I’ve visited and helped a dolphin there)
There are tons of ways to help animals. Choose the one you like best and do it! Another safe place is the Elephant Sanctuary. You can send $30 to feed a particular elephant (Tarra, Jenny, Shirley, Bunny, Sissie, or Winkie) for a day. Because it costs about $210 to feed all seven elephants (for just one day!), they can use all the money they can get. You will receive a picture and life story of your chosen elephant, along with a certificate and a full year’s membership.
The Chimpanzee Collaboratory is a combination of eight groups, including the famous Jane Goodall Institute. They work to protect all apes, focusing on chimps. They also teach people about why apes need help. If you go to the Chimpanzee Collaboratory Web site, you can donate money and find lots of ways to help that don’t cost money.
There are millions of ways to help all animals at the International Fund for Animal Welfare Web site. Some of the choices are donating money and writing letters to your state or national representatives. One example would be a letter asking them to make a lower speedboat speed limit a law so that manatees don’t get run over and are hurt less often.)
There are many ways to make a difference. All you have to do is choose one and do it.
What the groups do with your money
| Animals deserve respect, just like people. |
It depends on what kind of group you give money to. Workers and buildings cost a lot of money. Does the group have lots of workers in many places? Or does it get by mostly with volunteers from your city?
Some other things that money might go to are buying land to use as an animal safe place, buying food for shelter animals, and making fliers and a Web site to advertise the group, in hopes of getting more money.
In my mind, all of these things help animals in one way or another. But if you really want to know, try
calling the group you want to donate to and ask what they do with donations. Or give money to a specific cause,
like feeding an elephant for a day. That way you’ll know exactly how your money helps.
Help save the animals
Helping animals is important to me. I hope that you now understand why and know how to help if you’re interested.
Thanks for reading, and good luck helping out. We can make a difference.
by Nola Pastor
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