Celebrate World Animal Day Tomorrow in Harmony with Wildlife

• To celebrate animal life in all its forms
• To celebrate humankind’s relationship with the animal kingdom
• To acknowledge the diverse roles that animals play in our lives – from being our companions, supporting and helping us, to bringing a sense of wonder into our lives
• To acknowledge and be thankful for the way in which animals enrich our lives

Celebrate World Animal Day Tomorrow in Harmony with Wildlife. We cause our wild neighbors far more trouble than they cause us, as each day we invade thousands of acres of their territory and destroy their homes. Here are some simple tips for living in harmony with our wild friends.

If a bird is trapped inside your house, wait until dark, then open a window and put a light outside of it. Turn out all house lights-the bird should fly out toward the light.

• Deny mice and rats access to food in your home-this is the best way to discourage them from taking up residence. Store all food in airtight, rodent-proof containers. If you must trap an occasional rodent, use a cruelty-free live trap made for this purpose. If the trap is plastic, make sure it has air holes, and check it frequently, at least every hour.

• Take care with trash.

• Rinse out each can, put the top inside so it can’t slice a tongue, and crush the open end of the can as flat as possible.

• Recycle paper, metal, and glass whenever possible.

• Cut open one side of empty cardboard and plastic containers so squirrels and other small animals cannot get their faces or heads trapped in them.

• Drop pop-tops into empties so they cannot slit an animal’s mouth or throat.

• Cut apart all sections of plastic six-pack rings, including the inner diamonds.

• Choose paper bags at the grocery store.
  Changing Perceptions and Finding Humane Solutions

Perhaps the greatest challenge that we face in fighting cruelty to wild animals is changing the way people perceive wildlife. Each year, millions of wild animals are killed because they are considered pests. Beavers, bats, geese, deer, pigeons, mice, snakes, and squirrels are some of the animals who often suffer horrific deaths because some people consider them a nuisance, but the list also includes wild horses, rabbits, prairie dogs, owls, wolves, bears, eagles, and mountain lions.