February 20-26, 2022 is officially National Justice for Animals Week! This annual event, created by the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF), raises “public awareness around crimes committed against animals. This includes learning what criminal cruelty is under the law and how we can all work to build stronger laws, prevents criminal cruelty, hold abusers accountable, and vindicate the interests of animal cruelty victims.”
The ALDF is a non-profit organization focused on animal law, with over 300,000 members, attorneys, and supporters working to change the U.S. legal system’s approach to animal abuse. Each year, an animal representative is chosen – meet 2022’s rep, Sam the Ram! – and the ALDF Top Defenders are announced. Top Animal Defenders include “prosecutors, judges, law enforcement officials, animal rescuers, lawmakers, animal legal advocates, and others who champion the cause of animal crime victims.”
Want to get involved? Educate yourself on the animal protection laws in your state or volunteer with a local rescue organization. There are so many sanctuaries across the country working to provide safe homes for abused and abandoned animals – here are a few of our favorites!
Skydog Ranch and Sanctuary is home to wild mustangs and burros rescued from kill pens, auctions, and unfit homes. Skydog Ranch actively works to educate the public on equine treatment, as well as bring awareness to the SAFE Act, “which would prevent the shipping of equines across our borders to be killed for their meat”. Click here for more information on how you can support Skydog Ranch.
Goats of Anarchy is a sanctuary and rehabilitation center for injured and abused animals (primarily goats), including those with disabilities such as blindness, mobility impairment, and neurological disorders. Their mission is to encourage empathy for all creatures while providing a safe and loving home for animals who are often viewed as “less than”. Help support Goats of Anarchy by making a one-time donation, sponsoring an animal, or even becoming a donor. Click here for more information.
Little Bear Sanctuary is a no-kill sanctuary where abused and neglected animals can “live out the remainder of their lives in a cruelty-free environment.” Many of the animals at Little Bear Sanctuary were surrendered by owners who were unprepared for the responsibility of pet ownership or misled by unethical breeders, making education and community outreach their main objective. Become a volunteer, sponsor an animal, or visit the farm for the day – every little bit helps support animals in need!
