Whether or not your family includes an animal member, we all know this: animals are sentient beings who experience the same emotions and states we do, from pain and sorrow to pleasure and joy. This 10th December marks International Animal Rights Day, an annual event to promote and protect the rights of animals. The date was intentionally selected to coincide with Human Rights Day to emphasise that human rights are connected to animal rights. International Animal Rights Day highlights the need to treat animals with kindness and compassion, from rethinking societal attitudes toward animals to enacting animal welfare legislation.
In this post, we highlight the critical work of UK charities that promote and protect the rights of animals, including Dogs Trust, RSPCA, the Donkey Sanctuary, Battersea, and WWT. We introduce the mission of each charity, and we share several ways you can support these charities to do your part this December – and beyond.
Charities Making a Difference in the Lives of Animals
Dogs Trust
Since 1891, Dogs Trust has ensured that dogs can enjoy a safe, happy, and healthy life free from the threat of unnecessary destruction. Dogs Trust operates rehoming centres across the UK to care for dogs until they can find a family. Looking to find an animal companion? The charity currently has over 700 dogs ready to find a new home!
Dogs Trust also offers educational programs to promote responsible ownership and educate people on issues like breeding and the importance of adoption. Last year, Dogs Trust cared for more than 12,000 dogs. Notably, Dogs Trust also opened two emergency quarantine centres in the UK last year to help families affected by the war in Ukraine by caring for and later reuniting families with their dogs.
Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA)
RSPCA is one of the oldest and most recognisable animal welfare organisations in the UK and was the first to introduce a law to protect animals. Today, it runs campaigns to raise the standards of care for all animals, be they on farms, in labs, at our homes, or in the wild. RSPCA’s mission is to prevent cruelty, promote kindness, and alleviate the suffering of animals. RSPCA raises awareness of issues that affect animals, rescues and rehomes animals, and promotes animal welfare via education, advocacy, and prompting political and behavioural change. It also actively investigates cases of animal cruelty and collaborates with law enforcement to enact animal protection laws.
The Donkey Sanctuary
For over 50 years, the Donkey Sanctuary has provided care, protection, and a better life for donkeys and mules. It envisions a world where donkeys live free from suffering, and their contribution to humanity is fully valued. This means that donkeys experience stable relationships, enjoy appropriate exercise and mental stimulation, and are recognised as intelligent, emotional animals. The charity has six public-facing sanctuaries in the UK, which are home to more than 7,000 donkeys. It runs seven other closed farms for rescued donkeys and professional training. The organisation also works internationally to transform the lives of donkeys across the world by tackling ongoing chronic problems and short-term emergencies.
Battersea Dogs and Cats Home
Since 1860, Battersea has “been there for every dog and cat”. The charity provides expert care to rehabilitate dogs and cats in need. It rehomes dogs and cats and takes time to get to know each animal to ensure a successful family match. For the last 20 years, Battersea has offered a “Lost Dogs and Cats Line” to receive reports of missing or found animals and reunite lost pets with their people. The charity also campaigns to improve animal welfare and works with other animal organisations in the UK and beyond.
Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT)
WWT’s mission is to restore wetlands—and to empower everyone to do the same. The charity promotes understanding, appreciation, and conservation of wetlands, including the teeming biodiversity they contain. 40% of the world’s plants and animals depend on wetlands. Just as International Animal Rights Day is connected to Human Rights Day, WWT emphasises the interconnectedness between wetlands, biodiversity, and human well-being. WWT is actively involved in conservation and restoration, including creating and managing wetland reserves to ensure safe and sustainable environments for plants, animals, and people.
Be Compassionate; Get Involved
International Animal Rights Day is an opportunity to help protect the rights and welfare of animals. Here’s a few ways you can make a difference:
- Speak up for those who cannot speak: Participate in advocacy campaigns, sign petitions, and support legislation that protects or advances animal rights.
- Donate to animal welfare organisations: Contribute to any of the charities highlighted here to magnify the impact of their work. If it’s difficult to make a financial contribution, you can also donate your time as a volunteer. You might have a hands-on opportunity to rescue and care for animals, promote adoptions, or work to end animal cruelty.
- Educate yourself and others: When we’re informed, we can have greater impact. Look for opportunities to learn more about the most pressing animal rights issues of our day, including factory farming, animal testing, adoption, and wildlife conservation.
- Welcome an animal into your home: If you have the means, you can adopt or foster an animal in need of a home, either temporarily or permanently. With fostering, you’ll provide a loving and caring environment for an animal awaiting adoption—if you don’t end up adopting them yourself! This can be an incredibly rewarding and memorable way to support animal welfare.
- Shop with purpose: Most of the charities we’ve highlighted here offer online charity shops with specialised branded merchandise. With Christmas around the corner, consider gifting something special and meaningful. The proceeds will support the important work of each charity. The Donkey Sanctuary shop, for example, sells adorable holiday ornaments and shopping bags and the WWT shop offers stunning badges that make the perfect stocking stuffer.
We hope this post introduces you to some of the leading local animal welfare charities. We also hope you’ll support these or other organisations on International Animal Rights Day, whether you donate, volunteer, shop, or simply educate yourself and others about the pressing issues we’re working to tackle. How else will you (or your furry friends) make a difference? Please reach out today and let us know!