“No Act of Kindness No Matter How Small is Ever Wasted”- Aesop
Children's cognition of responsibility and love often exceeds the imagination of adults. Volunteering allows children to learn skills and form relationships that will benefit them throughout their lives. Let’s have a look at a few stories from around the world in which our little heroes are helping the Animals.
California: Scout Builds Shelter for Animals
Branson Tong, 16, of San Ramon, made a 6-foot cattle shelter as part of his Eagle Scout service project with Boy Scout Troop 84. The finished 6-foot shelter features three walls, a roof, and a large front opening. It can shield animals from the weather and provide shelter for those displaced by wildfires, which are very frequent now.
Virginia: Adorable Letters by Students for Adoption
Potential dog adopters' hearts melted by the persuasive words of an 8-year-old scribbled in crayon to empty the kennel crates of a local shelter. Kensey Jones, a second-grade teacher at Richmond's St. Michael's Episcopal Church, is also a Richmond Animal Care and Control volunteer. She required a writing assignment and came up with the notion of giving the dogs their own advocacy voice in order to increase adoption rates.
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India: NGO Children volunteer helped animals during COVID
During the pandemic-induced lockdown in 2021, around 60 student volunteers from nearly 12 Universities across the state of Karnataka came together as a team to distribute ration kits and feed the stray dogs who had no access to food. The abandoned dogs, cats, and the strays had a difficult time as the restaurants, which usually feed the leftovers to these animals, were closed during the lockdown. They fed stray animals on a regular and donated food and rations to pet shelters that were overburdened with abandoned animals. Additionally, the team gathered blankets for stray animals to keep them warm throughout the monsoon and ensuing cold weather in the city.
Atlanta: Boy Scouts Make Shelters for Stray Cats
Thanks to a Boy Scout named Tyrell Cooper and his troop, stray cats in Atlanta have had a little more warmth this winter. Insulated cat shelters were made and sent to the Lifeline Animal Project to assist safeguard wild cats and kittens from a variety of health conditions.
Riyadh: Students Team Up to Save Abandoned Animals
In an effort to better the lives of Riyadh's stray and feral cat and dog populations, a group of Saudi students came together to form Karbasha, the city's first non-profit animal welfare organization and the first social facility certified by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development. Beyond directly assisting animals, their ultimate purpose is to raise awareness and educate people about the fact that animals have feelings just like humans. This small non-profit includes a broad collection of passionate student volunteers that rescue injured, sick, or abandoned animals and give comprehensive medical care, vaccinations, and preventatives, as well as foster cats and dogs.
The education of love, harmonious coexistence and empathy is a slow and long-term process. We at STRAW India strive to bring more children to explore the world of kindness towards animals, cultivate empathy for animals, and then make it easier for children to understand others and build relationships with others in interpersonal communication.
Author: Ananya Bhatia
Ananya is a Researcher who works in the climate change and urban sustainability domain. She works at Integrated Research and Action for Development, New Delhi as a Senior Researcher. She loves animals and believes in the inclusiveness of every living being.