Today is World Animal Day.
Here at the Palace, we talk about dogs and cats a lot. Today we're zooming out. The dog on your couch counts. The cat in your window counts. The birds at your feeder count too, along with the squirrel who thinks your fence is a highway and the deer at the edge of the road.
You don't have to fix the whole world today. Small things add up, and most of them take less than ten minutes. Here are eight you can do this week, sorted by where you are.
At home
- Check your pet's ID. Look at the tag. Is the phone number right? If your pet is microchipped, log in and make sure the chip is registered with your current number. A chip with an old number is a chip that can't bring your pet home.
- Give your pet one full minute of real attention. No phone. Just eye contact and a scratch in their favorite spot. It sounds small. Your pet will tell you it's not.
- Make a snack plan for the whole house. More on that in a second.
In your yard or on your porch
- Put out a shallow dish of fresh water. Birds and small animals get thirsty too. Rinse the dish every day or two so it stays clean.
- Make your windows safer for birds. Birds don't see clear glass. Fall is migration season, and many birds hit windows. Window decals or a screen on the outside can help a lot.
- Turn off lights you don't need at night. Bright lights confuse birds that fly at night. Many cities ask buildings to switch off lights during migration. You can do the same at home.
Out in your community
- Slow down at dusk and dawn. Deer and other animals move more in the fall, and they're hardest to see at those hours. Slowing down can save a life.
- Call your local shelter and ask what they need. Many shelters can use clean towels, blankets, and newspapers. Some need volunteers, foster homes, or dog walkers. Call first so you bring what they can actually use.
The snack plan for a mixed house
If you have a cat and a dog, the treat drawer can get complicated. Different animals, different needs, and one very sneaky nose.
Shrimply Irresistible is one treat that works for both. It has one ingredient: freeze-dried cooked shrimp. It's made and sourced in the USA. There aren't any extras to decode on the back of the bag, which makes it easy to share the love around the house.
A simple tip for mixed houses. Give each animal their own treat in their own spot. That way nobody steals a snack and nobody gets two.
Your five minute World Animal Day list
- Check your pet's tag and microchip number
- Fill a shallow water dish outside
- Look at your windows and add a decal
- Text or call one shelter to ask what they need
- Give your pet one full minute of attention
That's the whole list. Nobody's asking you to save the world before lunch. Small things add up.
"You don't have to love every animal the same. You just have to be kind to every one of them."
with love, Ava
