Stock Photo via Dreamstime
Tomorrow starts a new year. This is the time when I ponder about my new year’s resolutions, which usually equates to; eating healthier, exercising more, stressing less and quitting bad habits. As these ideas swirled around in my head on how I can be a better daughter, sister and girlfriend, my charismatic cats, Premo and Dr. Dre (yes I named my cats after hip-hop legends), jumped on my lap to comfort me. That’s when I knew my resolution list should also benefit the members of my family who love the most and need the least; my fur babies.
Animal rights is something that I hold dear to my heart. I adopted two crazy but yet adoring kittens almost a decade ago from a foster family in Brooklyn, NY. Looking in their selfless eyes made me realize, I should be doing a lot more to help protect animals around the world. There are small changes we can all do that could make a big impact for animal rights. It was hard to narrow down the list of issues to highlight because I believe they are all important.
I had the pleasure of interviewing Animal Rights Advocate Angela Labriola who utilizes her social media channels as a platform to raise awareness, “My passion for animals is simply the recognition that animals also have the ability to feel pain, fear,hunger and suffering. By raising awareness and educating people on how to help, it will force change and strengthen animal rights. We can each do our part by slowly replacing the products we buy or the activities we choose with our families.” Here are a few (of many) topics I discussed with Angela.
Cosmetics & Animal Testing
Everyone knows, I am a sucker for skincare and beauty products through and through. Believe it or not, there are still several companies out there that still test their products on animals. You may be using products that test harmful chemicals on animals at this very moment, and not even realize it. As we all know, the ones that do, tend not to feature this information on the front of their packaging. According to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), “One of the most important steps we can all take to speed up the transition to safer, more humane science is spreading awareness and information...It can be difficult to navigate grocery and pharmacy aisles when searching for products that were not tested on animals. You may find listings of cruelty-free companies online.”
- There are several brands in the beauty-sphere that do not test on animals like PriyanaMD skincare. PriyanaMD products are paraben-free and tested in laboratories by some of the top experts in the United States.
- It’s always a good idea to check a brand’s marketing materials. For example, the Founder of the cosmetic line Beauty for Real, Leslie Munsell, donates her free time to the non-profit organization Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and makes note of her cruelty-free products right in the mission statement.
- The Brush Guard, a product that helps preserve and protect makeup brushes, is 100% animal cruelty-free and donates to charities to help support the rights of animals. There are so many brands out there to choose from. Select one that cares about this important cause.
Animals & Entertainment
Animals are used for entertainment purposes all the time and people (myself included) don’t even realize the cruelty that may go on behind the scenes. Everything from circus acts, Sea World performances to blockbuster films, may have dire consequences for the animals that participate. One sporting event that I always wanted to attend, but didn’t realize it’s effects, is horse-racing. A social gathering amongst friends and mimosas in the morning, seem like a girl’s dream. However, we don’t know exactly what happens to the horses before and after the races. For example, CPR collected data from the stewards reports of every state and territory in Australia, which revealed horses have actually died due to racing. The research compiled by the CPR showed within a one year period, “132 horses were killed on track for a number of reasons most commonly for catastrophic front limb injury.” This is not information that is usually brought to light. People may think these are innocent sporting events where the men place bets and the women dress up for the day in playful attire with big hats. Unfortunately, there is more than what meets the eye.
Spray or Neuter Your Pets
The thought of seeing your pets procreate may seem like a joyful and cute idea because who doesn’t like a litter of puppies or kittens. However, most people don’t realize they are putting those cute little babies at risk to be euthanized, if they don’t arrange a good home for each and every one of them. Typically, families who adopt pets are in it for the long haul, but there are several factors that can easily change their mind; loss in income, parent separation, or the owner may realize it takes more time than they anticipated. According to American Humane, “It is estimated that approximately 3.7 million animals were euthanized in the nation’s shelters in 2008.” This is an alarming reality. The cost of getting your pet sprayed or neutered is worth it. If you can’t afford the services, American Humane provides low-cost spay/neuter clinics for those that need to seek out assistance. If you’re looking for a family pet, visit the pound instead of a breeder. Everyone wants to adopt a puppy or kitten but adult pets are just as cute and loving. You may be saving a fur baby’s life.
I hope this article gives you a better understanding on how we can all make small changes in our lifestyle to make a big impact for animals across the country.
About the Author
Jenny Miranda is the Founder & CEO of Jenny Miranda Public Relations, LLC (New York, NY) & the Editor-in-Chief of The Manhattanite News. Add Jenny Miranda PR on Snapchat for daily tips @JennyMariePR