How to Help Stop Animal Abuse

Educate yourself. Do your homework and learn about animal cruelty. Research laws that concern animals including abuse, neglect, housing and breeding. Know which organizations actually help animals and aren’t just pushing their beliefs about animals on others.

Educate others. Share the information you have learned. Tell friends, family, neighbors and anyone interested in helping animals about the laws and organizations that do something to improve the lives of animals. Write a blog or post comments on sites, respectfully and intelligently, stating your opinion about animal abuse and neglect. If nothing else, tell others that animals are living, breathing creatures with physical and emotional needs that must be met.

Set an example. Take excellent care of the animals in your life. Let others see that your poodle is properly groomed. Don't let your horse’s hooves become overgrown. Do not over-feed your cat. Do not breed ferrets. Show others that you care about your animals and want to meet their needs. Let others know that you responsibly support animal causes and share with them the specifics of how you do this.

Help reputable animal rights organizations. Donate your time, money and talents to those who help animals. Your local animal shelter or rescue, if it is reputable, is an excellent place to start. It is hard to stop the problems with animal abuse and neglect around the world when your own community is doing the same and you are doing nothing. Call or write your local animal shelter and ask what you can do. Better yet, show up and ask them to put you to work.

Protest against those who abuse and neglect animals. This is not suggesting that you throw red paint on every fur coat you see. Do not do business with anyone who abuses or neglects animals. If you feel circuses abuse animals, do not go. Call or write to those sponsoring the event. Explain to them they have lost your business because they support something you feel is abusive and neglectful to animals. Call your local authorities and report suspected abuse and neglect. Organize a legal protest at the local pet store that sells live animals. Make sure those who are protesting with you are going to behave like intelligent and concerned citizens.

Lobby to change the laws concerning animals. Not all lobbyists are high-paid, evil people. Call and write local authorities, asking them to pass better laws concerning animal abuse and neglect. Take it a few steps further and contact state and federal lawmakers to do the same. Give them concrete facts. Write well-worded letters that are intellectual, thought-provoking and, within reason, passionate.