Do Unto Others : Part 2

50 Awesome Ways Kids Can Help Animals: Fun and Easy Ways to Be a Kind Kid
by Ingrid Newkirk

(Page 2 of 3)

When they're out in the world, dogs have to follow all sorts of rules. This is funny sign for dogs (and their companions!) from North Vancouver:

So when at home, let your dog be a playtime rebel and enjoy a bark-a-thon once in a while-a dog's gotta have some freedom to be a happy dog 'cause no one likes taking orders 24/7, not even people in the Marine Corps!

Allow them plenty of playtime with you and other household and neighborhood companions.

Give them plenty of chances to relieve themselves (at least four to five times each day and whenever they ask you to be let out, of course). If you want to really feel what it's like not to be able to "go," put yourself on exactly the same schedule as your dog and see if you could do that without feeling awful!

Keep the cat's litter box or yard very, very clean (I won't ask you to imagine what that would be like if you had to put yourself in their paws!). The fact is that, nowadays, with dogs and cars and strangers about, cats should be kept indoors unless you are out there with them, keeping an eye on their safety.

Teach the animals you share your home with the rules, using great patience and kindness, especially because they are trying to understand human language and human wants and we don't speak a word of their lingo. They should never be hit or scolded, as you know. Some humane societies have dog-training and cat-care booklets you can get for free.

Feed them before you sit down to eat. Clearly, it's never polite to eat in front of anyone who hasn't already been served! When they're finished, say, "All gone," and make an "empty hands" signal with upturned palms, followed by a pat, so they won't expect food while you're eating. Oh, and they can't help it if they drool-that's a reflex!

Make sure their collars are the right size. (Three of your fingers should fit under it.) Check it often, especially if your companion is still growing, or your pet could be quietly choking!

Gently groom your friends every day if they need it. They should get brushed and combed and their coat checked for fleas and ticks. Powdered brewer's yeast and garlic in their food can free them from harsh flea powders, sprays, and flea collars. A flea comb catches fleas in its teeth so your companions won't have to use theirs.

Give signs that your friends are loved often, like a friendly word or two, a scratch behind the ears, kisses, and treats.

Birds

Birds shouldn't be kept in homes, as they normally live in large flocks (meaning that they love to play with many other birds) and, as you know, they have wings so that they can fly! That means a lone bird in a cage is a sad sight. Parrots may even pluck out their own feathers when they are unhappy or stressed; some birds will rock back and forth endlessly as if dreaming of the outdoors and their bird friends, which they probably are. So make sure that any birds in your care have, at the very least:

One bird companion (from a sanctuary, if possible, never a pet shop because then they breed more and more and ...)

Room to fly about in, such as a whole room or an outside aviary

Windows (to see out of-not go out of-that's too dangerous for them!)

Lots of perches that are big enough for them to wrap their feet around, just so their toenails touch

A seed dish always full of food (not hulls-the outer casing- which they tidily spit back into their dishes)

Something to sharpen their beaks on, such as a heavy, nonsplintering piece of wood

Fresh fruits, fresh vegetables (carefully washed in case of insecticides or other chemicals and waxes), and clean water

Gravel (to help them digest their food)

A separate bowl of water to splash and bathe in, as well as to drink (some birds love a mist spray)

Toys (parakeets love measuring spoons) and gentle feather stroking

And make sure no one turns on a self-cleaning oven; the fumes can cause serious breathing problems for birds!

Rodents

Gerbils, guinea pigs, hamsters, rats, and mice should have:

A private space they can call their own, like upside-down boxes with holes cut in them

A clean, comfortable cage (a metal tray floor covered with newspaper sheets makes the best floor-wire mesh is quite painful to stand and walk on, and wood is hard to clean)

A cage large enough so they can scamper around (store-bought cages are ever so tiny-write to PETA to learn how to make a more suitable cage)

Things to climb and play in, like paper towel rolls, shelves, and old socks

An exercise wheel and tummy tickles with your little finger

Things to chew on, like tree branches or other hard, chemical free wood, to help keep their teeth in good shape

Raisins and other food treats hidden in the cage.

Previously published as Kids Can Save the Animals
Copyright © 1991, 2006 by Ingrid Newkirk

About the Author

Ingrid Newkirk is a British-born animal rights activist, author, and president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the world's largest animal rights organization. She co-founded PETA in 1980 with American activist Alex Pacheco, and is the author of several books about animal liberation, including Free the Animals, You Can Save the Animals, and Making Kind Choices, which has a foreword by Sir Paul McCartney. Newkirk is best known for the campaigns and stunts she organizes on behalf of PETA in order to promote animal rights and veganism.