World Animal Foundation
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Getting Started
In Getting Active
PRACTICE WHAT YOU
(ARE GOING TO) PREACH
The best way to persuade others to
adopt humane and responsible lifestyles
is to set a good example. Think realistically
about how you're going to fit activism into
your life. You may have a full-time job and
may have to juggle time with family and friends.
Can you replan your schedule or transfer some duties to a coworker, spouse, or someone else to allow yourself time to focus on animal rights and environmental activities?
Maybe you can incorporate some animal rights and environmental work into the church, office, family, or political activities you're already involved in. For example, you can show the film "We Are All Noah" to your religious group or support only those political candidates who will champion humane legislation. You do not want to overextend yourself in a blaze of glory, only to burn out in six months.
Think carefully about how you're going to schedule activism into your daily routine so that it will become a part of your life and not an intrusion.
CHOOSE YOUR ISSUES
As you read and learn more about animal rights and environmental issues, start choosing the ones that mean the most to you. The issues are so widespread you cannot possibly address all of them. WAF concerns itself primarily with projects that will help the greatest number of animals, such as those involving animals used in laboratories or saving the animals of the rainforests, or that will help change the fundamental attitudes of large numbers of people. In specific cruelty cases, your local animal welfare/humane society can be a good resource for individual placement of animals.
GETTING AN EDUCATION
You do not need to "know it all" to start getting active, but before you can educate others effectively you need to know some basic facts. We highly recommend Peter Singer's Animal Liberation as a basic primer on animal rights.
Visit your local library and bookstores for books and videos on the issues that interest you. You can also research your issues online.
Know your city, county, and state anti-cruelty laws, which you can get from your local humane society or find in a law library. Most cities have a law library that is open to the public; for information, call the mayor's office or county administrator's office, or try the government listing in your telephone book.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR COMMUNITY
Become familiar with the people and facilities in your area. You'll want to be able to make ethical recommendations to people who may come to you with questions in the future.
As you compile facts, resources, and other materials, set up a filing system to keep your information organized. File important or useful newspaper clippings according to the issues they concern. Keep the names and addresses of good veterinarians, shelters, low-cost spay/neuter programs, and wildlife rescue services by your telephone for easy reference.
NEWSPAPERS: Scan your local newspaper for stories involving animal issues. Save those that contain useful information. You may want to refer to the articles or contact the reporters at a later date.
SHELTERS: Visit the animal shelters in your area. Check the facilities provided for animals and find out how the animals are cared for and housed. What method of euthanasia is used? An intravenous or intra-peritoneal injection of sodium pentobarbital is the most humane method. If other methods are used, we can help you get things changed. How do the shelters insure that new homes are good? Do they refuse to release animals to laboratories? If your local shelter provides inadequate care, what other options exist? (It's important to understand the problems animal shelters face - many are overburdened with huge numbers of animals in poor condition and are able to find very few acceptable homes.)
Check out "no-kill" shelters in your area. Are they overcrowded? Are the animals starved for attention? Do they seem withdrawn and depressed? Are the shelter officials concerned with the quality of adoptive homes? Do they make sure their animals don't end up as research subjects?
If you find conditions at any of your local shelters unacceptable, contact WAF for information on how to improve the situation.
VETERINARIANS: Ask friends to recommend veterinarians. Question your own veterinarian. Maintain a list of vets who are good diagnosticians, who will speak out on humane issues, who perform low-cost sterilizations, and who are supportive of animal rights. Chances are you'll discover many vets do not support animal rights, but don't give up on them! Try to educate them by encouraging them to read the literature you provide.
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