Be Kind To Animals Month

Be Kind to Animals Month

In 1915, American Humane launched Be Kind to Animals Week to build a better world for animals. It has since become the longest-running commemorative week in US history, with millions of Americans participating in the annual campaign during the first week of May every year. We at the Whatcom Humane Society believe that such a commemoration deserves a whole MONTH, so we are celebrating for the entire month of May! Although we advocate for kindness towards animals every day of the year, Be Kind to Animals Week/Month aims to create a moment in time where we can pause, reflect, and plan what we can do to help animals, and provide inspiration with simple ideas and activities.

All animals need and deserve kindness, regardless of how they look… and it all begins with you! Take our pledge HERE promising that you will be kind to animals and enter the draw to win an assorted box of Whatcom Humane Society goodies! The winner will be selected after May 31^st and contacted via email to receive their prize.

Anyone can join, and the best part is that acts of kindness don’t have to be grand gestures. Small, simple things can help animals in big ways. Here are twenty-five things you can do to celebrate Be Kind to Animals Month this year:

1. Take care of your pet! One of the biggest things you can do is simply take some extra time to care for and appreciate the animals you already love.
2. Pamper your pets. Show your pet some extra love during Be Kind to Animals Week by conducting extra play sessions, going for more walks, and spending quality time with them. Buy your dog or cat a new toy or a special treat. Cats and dogs aren’t the only pets you can spoil, though. Buy your fish a new plant for their aquarium or buy your guinea pig a new cozy or toy. Spend some extra time with your rat. Give your horse a special treat or schedule a massage for them.
3. Spay and neuter your cats and dogs to reduce the number of unwanted animals that end up in shelters or rescues.
4. Keep your animal’s vaccination’s up to date.
5. Make sure your pet is wearing proper identification. Microchip your pet and make sure your contact information is up to date on the microchip and your animal’s tag.
6. Create a safe outdoor space for your pet to enjoy the outdoors, like building a catio or repairing holes in your fence.
7. Adopt a pet from a shelter or rescue.
8. Foster a pet! Fostering also saves lives by improving an animal’s social skills, increasing their chance of getting adopted, and opening space at the shelter.
9. Volunteer! Use your time, talents, and resources to help animals at your local shelter.
10. Organize a neighborhood cleanup. Trash has a devastating effect on animals. When you tidy up your neighborhood, you prevent animals from ingesting litter or getting stuck in trash. Moreover, make sure to rinse out containers and crush metal cans before throwing them away, and find ways to reduce waste so that less trash is being generated in the first place.
11. Stay informed on animal welfare issues and write to government representatives when needed to encourage legislation that creates safe, humane communities for animals and people.
12. Report animal abuse. When you suspect an animal is in distress, speak up! Report the situation by calling your local Animal Control Officers. If you are aware of an animal being abused or neglected, please call our Animal Control Office at (360) 733-2080, Ext #3017.
13. Help the community/feral cats in your neighborhood through trap-neuter-return (TNR). TNR is the practice of humanely trapping, sterilizing, vaccinating, and returning community/feral cats to their outdoor homes to help reduce euthanasia, eliminate reproduction, and improve the health of unowned cats.
14. End the week with a documentary about animal rights. Here are some titles to add to your watchlist: Blackfish (2013), The Elephant In The Living Room (2010), The Ghosts In Our Machine (2013), Seaspiracy (2021), What The Health (2017), and The Game Changers (2018).
15. Appreciate wildlife by giving wild animals plenty of space. Wild animals are wild and can get stressed when in close contact with humans! They also may act unpredictably when stressed.
16. Create an inviting space in your yard and garden for butterflies, hummingbirds, and other creatures by planting pollinator friendly plants.
17. Drive Carefully. Animals of all kinds also use the roads and unfortunately, that means there are thousands of collisions between vehicles and wildlife. Keeping an eye out for animals of all sizes and safely avoiding collisions means fewer animal fatalities.
18. Learn about conservation efforts and teach your family about wild animals and the need to protect them by visiting accredited zoos, aquariums, and conservation centers.
19. Speak out in your community about the importance of respecting animals
20. Remind families to include pets in their personal disaster plans.
21. Use products that don’t include animal products or rely on animal testing.
22. Commit to paying closer attention to the products you buy and the impact they have on animals. When shopping for eggs, meat, or dairy products, look for the SPCA Certified red barn logo. The SPCA Certified program was created to ensure that farm animals are raised to a higher standard to animal welfare.
23. Enjoy plant-based meals for a day, week, or beyond!
24. Teach children to be kind to animals. Purchase or check out books from your local library that teach kids how to treat animals.
25. Donate to the Whatcom Humane Society. You can find more information and donate by visiting the Donate section of our website.