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Be Kind to Animals Week®
May 4 to 10, 2008

The American Humane Association created Be Kind to Animals Week in 1915 to celebrate the unique bond between humans and animals.
How Can I Be Kind to Animals?
Here are some simple things you can do during Be Kind to Animals week and throughout the year to show kindness to animals:

Speak out for animals. Get active in local animal welfare policies and legislation. Also, register with us to receive timely Action Alerts about issues affecting animals. You’ll be able to make a difference for animals with just the click of your mouse.

Report animal abuse. While acts of violence against animals are tragic in their own right, they are also a red flag for other violent behavior, including domestic abuse and violent crime.

Appreciate wildlife. Create an inviting space in your yard and garden for butterflies, hummingbirds and other creatures.

Share kindness. Teach the people in your life, especially children, about the importance of being kind to animals.

Make a donation to your local animal shelter. A donation can be your time, money, or needed items like pet food or laundry detergent. Call them first and see what they need.

Adopt a pet from a shelter or rescue organization. Approximately 8 to 12 million animals enter our nation’s shelters every year, and more than half of these pets will have to be euthanized because of a lack of homes. Local shelters are the best place to find companion animals, even purebreds -- one out of every four dogs in a shelter is a purebred.

Help solve the tragedy of euthanasia of adoptable animals by not contributing to the problem. If you have pets, make sure they are spayed or neutered. Pets should be microchipped and should always wear a collar with an ID tag, so they can be reunited with you quickly if they are ever lost.

Be a responsible pet guardian. Keep a collar with an ID tag on your pet, in case he or she gets lost, and take your pet to the veterinarian every year for vaccinations and a health check.