How You Can Help Animals

 Wanna know what question we get asked the most by kids like you?

How can I help animals?!

The great thing is that there are so many ways to get involved in helping ALL animals—the wildlife in your backyard, endangered species all over the world, and the four-legged members of your own family.Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Keep a list, check it twice! Keep a list of people who can help if you see or know about someone harming an animal. That list might include a humane law enforcement officer, a teacher, your parents or your veterinarian.

Be a vet helper! This one’s especially for you, future vets. Read as much as you can about your pet. Make a list of the things that she needs to be healthy, and check it with your veterinarian.

Clean up for wildlife. Wild animals need protection, too. Help implement a cleanup and recycling plan in your community by organizing weekend trash cleanups in local parks, roadsides and forests. Be sure to cut up your plastic six-pack soda rings before you throw them away. If a bird or small animal gets entangled in one, she may not be able to eat or move.

Hold on tight! Don’t let balloons go, especially if you live near the ocean. The critters who live in the water might think they’re food and eat them—which could make them very sick.

Volunteer your time! You're never too young to volunteer your time helping animals. Contact your local animal shelter or humane society for junior volunteer programs. For a list of shelters in your area, search our National Shelter Directory.

Set a good example for others. If you have pets, be sure to always show them the love and good care they deserve. If you think your animal is sick, bring him to the veterinarian. Be responsible and have your animals spayed or neutered. And give your pets lots of hugs!
   
Have a bakesale! Organize a bake sale for animals at your local shelter or rescue group. Set up a table at your school or local library and let people know their purchase of sweets will benefit animals!

Have a book sale! You can collect and sell books (CDs, DVDs, magazines and books on tape count, too!) and give the money to your local shelter, or use the money to fund an animal book section for your school or local library.
 

Keep Up the Good Work!

Major props to the following friends of ASPCA Animaland, who told us about the cool ways they help animals:

• Sorena B. was worried when her dad, who doesn’t like squirrels, wanted to cut down a tree where squirrels live. “But I told him that the tree is an animal’s home,” says Sorena, “so he didn’t cut it down.” Thanks for caring, Sorena.
• Susan O. takes her neighbors’ pets for walks and plays with them. “This makes the dogs and me happy, and works really good if the animal belongs to a person who is unable to walk or play with him,” says Susan. Keep up the good walk, Susan!
• Jessica W. recently had a birthday party and asked all her friends to bring presents for the animals at her local shelter. “The animals got a lot of stuff!” Jessica says. “52 pounds of dog food and 42 pounds of cat litter. It was a big success!” Hope you had a great b-day, Jessica.
• Victoria V. donates her pop cans to her local humane society. “They collect cans to turn in for money and, well, I drink a lot of pop!” says Victoria. “They have bins set up around Wichita, and I clean out and donate my cans every two weeks when I go into town. It’s not much, but it makes me feel really good to know that my pop habit is helping take care of homeless animals.” You’re totally making a difference, Victoria—so have another pop to celebrate!
• Hannah L. and her friends started the Roar Club to help animals. “We are going to have a lemonade stand and we are also going to sell sun catchers,” she tells us. “Then we are going to donate the money to our local shelter.” Good luck, Hannah—hope you get lots of thirsty customers!
• “Our local shelter was running out of blankets and sheets for the dogs and cats,” says Marissa T., “so I told some friends at school about it.” Smart move, Marissa—she and her pals donated four big bags of blankets and sheets! That makes us feel really warm inside.
• Cindy Q. really goes WILD for animals. “On the side of my house, there are small holes that are connected to the windows in my basement,” she says. “I try to cover them up so wild animals like bunnies don’t fall in—because one time a baby bunny got stuck and another time some mice got stuck in there.” Awesome, Cindy—some bunny sure loves you!

  
Do you know of any other ways to help animals?

If we’ve left anything off of our list, let us know! Fill out our form and tell us what YOU are doing to help animals. We just might add your suggestion to our list!