Running from Friday 1 to Thursday 7 October, Be Kind to Animals Week is a time to reflect on the importance of being kind to animals and demonstrate how simple acts of kindness can have an enormous impact on all the furred, feathered, fleeced, and finned beings we share this planet with.
Now in its eleventh year, Be Kind to Animals Week is hoping to exceed 5,000 pledges. This involves a
commitment to eat kind by choosing to dine on plant-based recipes for the week, and can be extended to
shop and live kind too.
To support participants in their pledge, Edgar’s Mission, a not-for-profit sanctuary for rescued farmed animals who started the Be Kind to Animals Week campaign back in 2010, is sending out free Kindness Kits along with daily emails filled with plant-based recipe inspiration and other kindness tips. Edgar’s Mission is also offering the chance to win a hamper full of ethical goodies.
This year, a number of Australian household names have come on board as official ambassadors for Be Kind to Animals Week to throw their support behind the week-long pledge, including DJ, producer, and wellness enthusiast, Dara Hayes (aka DJ Tigerlily).
“Research has proven that animals feel pain and emotions, share languages, family bonds, and rituals,” Dara says. “They are just as deserving of our kindness. Switching to a plant-based lifestyle was the best decision I have ever made. It is empowering to be a voice for the voiceless and to live a life that is causing no cruelty or harm to other beings. It costs nothing to be kind.”
Joining Dara is actress Jet Tranter, sisters and fashion designers Jess and Stef Dadon, athlete and nutritionist Tammy Fry, and Be Kind to Animal Week’s youngest ambassador Nella Trainor.
The events of the last 18 months have made us all take a moment to reflect on how we can better support each other. During that time, Edgar’s Mission has rescued 196 animals in need and their sanctuary is home to between 400 and 500 animals at any given time.
This includes orphans like Kiki Dee, one of the tiniest lambs Edgar’s Mission has ever rescued. “Kiki Dee’s eye had been pecked by a bird, but a kind heart brought her to the sanctuary,” says Edgar’s Mission Founder and Director, Pam Ahern.
“Today, after lots of love and care, she is a happy and very affectionate sheep. It just goes to show the power of kindness, and it also speaks to the range of emotions all animals feel, no matter what they look like.”
Pam adds that Be Kind to Animals Week is a great opportunity to stop and think about how being kinder can improve our own lives, animals’ lives and the world.
In addition to reflecting on the simple choices we make every day, including what we eat and the products we use, Be Kind to Animals Week aims to show the many ways people can make a positive impact on animals’ lives.
“You can support your favourite animal welfare charity by volunteering or donating, organise a beach or park clean up, leave water out for local wildlife and so much more.”
During the week, Pam will also be doing a series of library talks across Melbourne, which can be booked through the library. She will also host two live virtual tours from the sanctuary through Edgar’s Mission’s Facebook page.
To make your pledge and for more information, free fun resources and a downloadable colouring competition for kids, please visit bekindtoanimalsweek.org.au.