If you love animals, you know that the world doesn’t always treat them kindly. People who want to help animals often think of all the things they could actively do, like volunteering or donating or fundraising. And these are terrific actions. But if you really love and want to help animals, the things you don’t do are every bit as important.
Counting down from 3…
3. Don’t wear animal skins.
A common misconception is that leather is a simply a leftover product from the meat industry and would be going to waste if we didn’t use it for clothes and accessories. In fact, the meat and dairy industries refer to cattle skins as a valuable ‘co-product’, worth billions of dollars. Buying leather actually supports these industries.
Then there are wild animals like kangaroos that are hunted for their skins, while ostriches, crocodiles and snakes are farmed for exotic leathers. You might love leather but it's easy to decide that you love live animals more.
Find out more about not wearing animal products at the Collective Fashion Justice website.
2. Don’t buy products tested on animals.
For every product you can think of, there is a cruelty-free version. Cosmetics, household cleaning products, personal care products, and even Botox, are all tested on animals; and this can include rabbits, rats, primates, cats and dogs. If you have a companion animal, it’s unimaginable to think of them being hurt. An animal in a laboratory is every bit as worthy of our love. It seems obvious but it bears repeating; if you want to help animals, don’t take part in deliberately hurting them.
Companies around the world are waking up to the fact that animal welfare is now a consideration when people make buying choices. If you refuse to buy products that involve animal cruelty, companies will find alternatives and animal testing will finally be consigned to the history books.
You can find out more about choosing cruelty-free at the Cruelty Free International website.
1. Don’t eat them.
It’s a modern paradox, that people who love animals are still eating animals on a daily basis. If questioned, many of us would say, oh, I know I should be vegan but… I love cheese/ my partner eats meat/ I don’t have time to cook vegan meals/ how would I get enough protein or B12?
We find it easier to engage in extracurricular activities to help animals rather than to do something that impacts our own lifestyle.
But that’s okay. Very few people are born vegan so every person who is now vegan went through the same thought processes and crisis of conscience. They struggled with the same love of steak, sausages or cheese. But ask anyone who has been vegan for a while and they all say they wish they’d done it sooner. Perhaps because when you go vegan you start to delve deeper into how animal products end up in our kitchens and you inevitably learn about the suffering and cruelty involved. When you eat animals, you tend not to watch videos about how these are caught or farmed. This is why many vegans want to help animals by persuading other people to go vegan; they know how much impact it has. There are many great vegan resources to help you on your journey, look around and find the one that suits you.
Animals enrich our lives in so many ways, it’s a joy to return the favour. Good luck in your journey to help animals.
