‘The least I can do is speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves’ – Jane Goodall.

Animal advocates are always criticized for helping animals over human beings. In a world of starving children, poverty and war, why are you helping animals, they ask. Do we need to answer these senseless questions? Every living being matters. Life is interconnected – when you help animals, you help people and when you help people you help animals. The truth is, there aren’t enough people in the world helping anyone, so shouldn’t we be supporting any individual who is doing something good in the world?

Every day, animals are suffering at the hands of our need for cosmetics, clothes, food, entertainment and greed for money. Through media, I became aware of all the heartbreaking issues animals face today. I realized, as a writer, I could make other people aware of these issues, through my writing. So, apart from signing petitions and donating money whenever I could, I started writing letters to politicians and presidents all over the globe, urging them to ban cruel practices. I also wrote letters to the heads of multi-billion dollar companies like Uniliver, Colgate-Palmolive, and Procter & Gamble, insisting they stop testing their products on animals. Several have wrote back to me. And I have seen some great accomplishments. I’ve also written a number of articles and letters to editors about various issues. Only a few days ago, I started my own petition to end animal testing in the US. Right now, It has over 3,000 signatures.

If we can’t make the world a better place, then what is the point to life? You don’t have to give up your life or your money to help. Little things make a huge difference in the long run. Meatless Mondays are very effective. I recently became a vegetarian after finding out the inhumane way my meat was produced and I’ve never felt better. There is so much suffering in our world and I realized I could reduce that just by changing my lifestyle choices. I try to create awareness all the time; through media, leaflets, and social media.

We can’t close ourselves off from the fact that millions of people and animals are out there suffering. We can, however, open our hearts to make the world a better place.