It’s as predictable as those April showers. One day, your child is going to realize that they love animals, and then slowly make the connection between their actions and the suffering of animals. When this happens, things can get a little bit awkward. They’re going to have some hard questions for you, and, if you haven’t given it much thought before, you’re not going to have many - if any - good answers! Not to worry, though, because by agreeing to some of the options we outline below, you can show that you also care about the welfare of animals!
Make the Transition
If your child has expressed just how much they care about all those cute and fuzzy animals, it’s unlikely that they’re going to be willing to eat one off their plate when it comes to dinner time. They’ll look down at their food, then look up at you, and ask something like, “is this a dead animal?” Ah, awkward! Do away with this problem by transitioning to a vegetarian or vegan diet. Believe it or not, there are plenty of delicious meal options out there that don’t use meat as an ingredient. Give them a try, and you won’t be rushing back to chicken anytime soon.
Look at the Animal Trail
We have plenty of responsibilities in our life, so it’s normal that we don’t spend too much thinking about the history of the products that we use. But if you care about animals, it’s worth investigating, because many of the household and beauty products we use have been tested on animals, and this rarely means good news for the creature. The good news is that there are many cruelty-free alternatives available. You can buy your household cleaning products from Better Life, and purchase beauty products that have a ‘certified cruelty-free’ label. There’s no reason why animals need to suffer when it comes to the products we need to stay clean and beautiful!
Adopt a Pet
There is no shortage of healthy dogs and cats who are currently living out their days in shelters. If you have the time and money to do so, why not take a look at adopting one of these animals? You might just find that there’s much to love about having a pet around the home. Cats can offer companionship (and, we admit, entertainment - they’re goofy), while dogs will give you unconditional love and keep you fit. Perfect!
Support a Good Cause
There’s only so much we can do when it comes to animals. We have a lot to take care of ourselves, after all! However, there are organizations out there who are continually working hard to lessen the severity of animal suffering, so why not look at supporting one of them? You could set up a monthly direct debit, or hold a fundraising event. It’ll be much appreciated by the organization, we’re sure.
Sometimes we don’t think about other living creatures until our children point them out to us. Make the changes, and they’ll be proud - and the animals will thank you (well, they would if they could).
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