Standing up and stopping animal cruelty, abuse, abandonment and neglect falls on ALL OF US.
No one gets a pass, permission to look away as if pretending they did not see what they just saw makes it not to have happened.
Because it happened. It is happening all around us.
Why should it have to fall on someone else? What if no one else saw what you just saw, heard what only you heard?
The animals being harmed have no advocate except us, except you – the witness to their suffering.
The path to stopping their suffering and to begin their healing runs through us and us alone. The animals cannot do it without us intervening.
It is that simple full stop!
There are different ways to advocate and there are different levels of involvement. Not everyone needs to be on the front lines but everyone does need to be in the battle!
One of THE MOST important ways we all can help is by each one of us promising ourselves that we will not look away. Muster the moral courage to not look away.
Excuses on why people do not engage – I have heard them all:
- I just do not want to become involved
- it is too upsetting to think about the pain and suffering of animals
- someone else will speak up, why does it have to be me?
- I will be late for work or an appointment
- They fear being targeted or perhaps of facing backlash from the people they are calling out
- They don’t know who to call
We all have a role to play. Not everyone has to be engaged to the same level as someone else.
But do not look away!
There are different ways to advocate to protect the vulnerable:
- Record what you saw if safe to do so
- Take photos, notes, license plates, addresses
- Report it to animal protection agencies, to police, to tip lines, to rescues or advocacy groups
- Report it to media
- Make sure you add the numbers to your phones contacts so it is easily accessible
You can very quietly go about protecting animals but please…
Please do not look away!
Let’s create a culture where we support one another in taking action against cruelty.
Together, we can shift the narrative and encourage a community where moral courage is celebrated! Where advocates are not smeared.
CALL TO ACTION
If a situation is due to municipal bylaws or provincial/federal legislation or laws then call/email your local Council, your MPP or MP. Tell them this is an important voting issue for you.
Please share this post if you believe in standing up for those who cannot stand up for themselves.
#itsaboutthem
