BE A GREENIE: RESCUE A FURRY FRIEND
By: Genevieve Ticlo

Okay, so you’ve planted a tree, recycled your wardrobe, bought 100% organic school supplies, and convinced your parents to switch to a more fuel-efficient car. What else could you possibly do? Well, greenie girls, it’s time to take recycling to a whole new level! If you’re thinking about adding another member to your family – a furry, four-legged member – get into that greenie spirit and recycle the love!

Adopting a pet from a pound or shelter, instead of purchasing one from a breeder or pet store, helps stop puppy mills and keeps the love flowing ‘round. In the United States alone, about seven million unwanted and abandoned dogs and cats are euthanized each year. By “recycling” a pet, you are making a difference in an animal’s world, which could make a difference in yours.

If you aren’t able to adopt at the moment, or if you simply can’t physically own a pet, there are many other options to rescue creatures in need. Not many people have heard of farm animal-adoption, but furry, four-legged puppies and kittens aren’t the only ones who need love! At Longmeadow Rescue Ranch (http://longmeadowrescueranch.org) you can sponsor the barn animal of your choice, be it a pig, goose, horse, chicken, goat, or donkey. Donations keep these little guys fed and sheltered on a 165-acre refuge in Missouri, and, if you’re in the area, volunteers are always welcomed with open arms.