Bless the Beasts and the Children

🎵Bless the beasts and the children

For in this world

They have no voice…

They have no choice…🎵

Over the past few months close friends who work in animal nonprofits have reminded this blog that we have overlooked them and the biodiversity that they represent. While we have publicized the work of almost every social service and nonprofit organization, we confess we have consistently overlooked the animal nonprofits, and the struggle they are engaged in to save the animals and natural habitat of our planet.

Awakened

They informed us that the biomass of wild mammals has fallen by 82%, natural ecosystems have lost about half their area, and a million species are at risk of extinction. From deforestation to increasing ocean temperatures, (ocean temperature was measured last week in the ocean off the Florida coast at 101.1 degrees) human activity threatens delicate ecosystems that are vital to the health of all life on earth. Animal and environmental nonprofits are critical to addressing these issues. As first responders, clinics, research initiatives, shelters, and leaders of education programs – animal charities are taking action to protect the animals as well as the environment.

Up Close and Personal

Since the Industrial Revolution at the end of the 19th century, the human race has withdrawn from its natural habitat and lived remotely in towns and cities manufactured by human ingenuity. As a result, humans are losing touch with the natural world that enables us to survive. We feel removed from the “wilds” of nature. But wild animals aren’t the only ones in danger. The situation is also concerning when it comes to the companion animals who keep us company in our man-made world. One of the largest challenges facing animal welfare organizations today is the sheer number of companion animals in need of assistance. Every year, approximately 6.3 million companion animals arrive at one of the community animal shelters nationwide.

Saving the Natural World

Space allows us to mention only a few of the largest of these animal rights organizations. Some you will recognize immediately, but others you may be unaware of. The top five in size and scope are:

1. ASPCA - The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals® (ASPCA®) was the first humane society to be established in North America and is currently one of the largest in the world. To this day, they have assisted over 545,000 animals.
2. BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY - Best Friends has grown into a large movement aiming to “save them all”. They want to make every shelter and every community “no-kill” by 2025. Best Friends is leading the “no-kill” movement by:
   running lifesaving community programs for dogs and cats
   providing support and training for animal shelters and rescue groups
   mobilizing community members on behalf of pets in need across the country
3. THE HUMANE SOCIETY - “fights the big fights to end suffering for all animals”. They are focused on ending the worst forms of institutionalized animal suffering. To accomplish this, they work with governments as well as the private sector and multinational corporations and organizations. They run public awareness and consumer education campaigns. They respond to large-scale cruelty cases and disasters around the world, providing rescue, hands-on care, logistics, and expertise when animals are caught in crises.
4. WORLD WILDLIFE FUND - WWF envisions a future in which people live in harmony with nature. To achieve this, they work to:
   Conserve and restore biodiversity.
   Reduce humanity’s environmental footprint.
   Ensure the sustainable use of natural resources to support current and future generations.
   Organizes their work around six key areas: forests, marine, freshwater, wildlife, food, and climate.
5. ANIMAL WELFARE INSTITUTE - The Animal Welfare Institute was founded in 1951 with the mission to alleviate the suffering inflicted on animals by humans. In the beginning the organization worked to end the cruel treatment of animals in experimental laboratories, but later their work expanded. AWI promotes strong enforcement of laws to protect companion animals. They develop resources to help law enforcement officials prosecute animal abusers and help social service agencies address the relationship between animal cruelty and family violence.

A Small Sample

The five organizations listed above are a very small sample of the 44,867 animal-focused nonprofit organizations in America. Combined, these organizations employ 141, 490 people and utilize more than $16 billions of income each year.

Mea Culpa

We can only apologize to both the animals and the people who are engaged in this critical work for overlooking a most significant sector of the nonprofit community.