10 Creative & Safe Ways To Help Animals During Covid | Pt 1

Animal AdvocacyCat Parent Academy
Written By Junipurr Studio

Quarantined at home but still want to do something good for animal welfare? Me too :) Voilà TEN creative, fun, & SAFE ways you can be an animal welfare advocate during the pandemic: 

  1. Take a virtual tour of an animal sanctuary. An animal sanctuary is a haven where animals are nurtured, protected, and allowed to live their natural lives in peace. Most have a species focus, such as companion animals, farmed animals, or wildlife. Giving tours to the public is one way many sanctuaries are able to simultaneously educate the public and generate funds to help pay for expenses like food, vet care, shelter, and enrichment for the animals. Before you put on your boots and face masks, though, allow me to direct your attention to virtual tours. This past weekend, I did a virtual tour of two animal sanctuaries -- Charlie’s Acres in California and The Riley Rescue Farm in Connecticut -- through Airbnb experiences. It was even more engaging than I expected! Did you know that cows tend to have sweet, playful temperaments and are basically grass puppies? Or that a male turkey is called a tom – just like a male cat! -- and that their heads can change colors based on their mood? Also, pigs have sleeping buddies & love triangles! Talk about affectionate creatures. I am officially addicted. Seriously, I am about to embark on an animal sanctuary “world tour” from the comfort of my sofa. Join me :)

  2. Start an animal welfare book club. Cats, books, and learning in community is what Junipurr Studio is all about! So, it brings me immense delight to share the good news: There’s never been a better time to start a virtual book club. Email a few friends, pick a theme and format, then start reading! A few good books recommendations for those interested in:

  3. Make nests for orphaned baby animals. Did you know that millions of orphaned or injured animals rely on human made “nests” each year, and that there is a global network of volunteers who are crocheting, knitting, or woodworking away to meet this need? You could be one of these beautiful humans, like “97 years young" Al Larson from Idaho, who has helped more than 40,000 bluebird nestlings by building nestboxes! There are ample resources online like this Youtube tutorial, this free wildlife nest crochet pattern, or this Facebook Group that is essentially a library of resources. So, contact your local wildlife rehabilitation center to see what they need, then get making! P.s. Apparently crafting is good for our mental health, so #twofer

  4. Foster orphaned, senior, and/or special needs pets. If you would like to get hands-on with animal rescue, consider fostering orphaned, senior, or special needs companion animals! Fostering is an essential way the greater community can support our local shelters and “help prepare animals for adoption by giving them a chance to live in a home where they can fully express their personality, work to overcome fears, or recover from trauma.” (One Green Planet) Kittens under 8 weeks old especially need fostering, as most shelters do not have the bandwidth to take care of bottle babies, so hundreds of thousands are euthanized every year in the US alone. Had it not been for her foster parents, two-week old Junipurr would no doubt have been a part of that grim statistic. So, Juni urges you to contact your local shelter/rescue and volunteer as a foster! Most shelters have contactless drop-off and covid precaution measures, so partner with an organization you are comfortable with. If you are fostering orphaned baby cats, Hannah Shaw’s Tiny but Mighty is an invaluable resource. If you are interested in senior or special needs cats, keep an eye out for our upcoming interview with Frankie’s Feline Fund, a senior & diabetic cat rescue!

  5. Talk with your favorite brands about leather, fur,  & ethical sourcing. Did you know that the global leather industry is a $100 billion sector each year, and that the fur trade requires more than 93 million lives - mostly mink, but also foxes, bears, raccoon dogs, and chinchillas - to make pelts each year? The vast majority of demand comes from the fashion, furniture, and automobile industries. Take note, my fellow fashionistas, interior design junkies, and car aficionados! We have the power to engage with our favorite brands about pivoting away from these materials -- or at least to have a conversation about ethical supply chains. Change is possible, and opportunities are abundant. For example, Rent the Runway has made the decision to not carry fur products (yay!) but still carries lots of leather goods. Meanwhile in the car industry, “napa” leather seems to be the gold standard. One good way to engage in conversations is through social media, as most brands actively use these platforms for social listening and community discussion. Keep it collaborative and data-based, and who knows - you could be a part of a movement to end mink farming or manifest a zero waste car!

    Did any of these ideas spark your interest? If so, let me know in the comments below! I read, cherish and respond to every comment :)

    p.s. Based on feedback from a few readers about the length of my long form essays (oops!), I’ve separated this essay into two parts. Here is Part 2. Enjoy!

REFERENCES

Junipurr Studio
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