11 Surprising Ways That Your New Year’s Resolutions Can Help Animals

Would you like to help animals more in 2018 but your list of New Year’s resolutions is already stretching to War and Peace proportions? Not to worry—stuff a vegan starter kit in your gym bag and read on to see how advocating for animals is easier than remembering the lyrics to Auld Lang Syne.

If you resolved to…

1. Use your gym membership: Since you’ll already be at a venue frequented by health-conscious folks, drop some free vegan starter kits on the information table, tack them to the bulletin board, or leave one on the treadmill.
2. Read more: Most libraries are happy to have donated books, so on your next stop, bring along the animal rights books that you’ve already read.
3. Get a health check-up: You’ve probably been putting it off because you don’t want to spend your morning in a waiting room. Other people have, too. So leave your recent issue of PETA Global there and give your fellow procrastinators something enlightening to read.
4. Stop smoking: Tobacco companies conduct painful invasive and skin corrosion tests on animals, so kicking this bad habit helps kick animal testing, too.
5. Organize your closets: While you’re bagging up Halloween costumes and paint-splattered shirts, throw in your old leather shoes. When you’re hitting the after-Christmas sales, you can replace them with fun new leather-free (and conversation-worthy) footwear.
6. Visit your family more often: Mom always loves something that you made yourself, so take along some vegan baked goods or a meat-free dish when you go see your folks.
7. Get a new job: If the 9-to-5 grind is getting you down, consider applying for positions at your local animal organizations, or at PETA!
8. Make out a will: Throw animals a bone and include a donation to support PETA’s work for animals. These bequests are helping PETA run everything from the doghouse program to the horse-drawn carriage campaign.
9. Deep-clean your home: Alongside dust bunnies and expired cold medicine, get rid of beauty and household products that were tested on animals and start spring off with a fresh new cruelty-free regimen.
10. Establish a plan for emergencies: Plan ahead to keep your animal companions safe in an emergency situation by filling a carrier with leashes, bowls, veterinary records, medicines, a photo of each animal, and a list of hotels that accept animal guests during natural disasters.
11. Volunteer some of your time: You can organize or participate in animal rights demonstrations in your community, and animal shelters are usually thrilled to have volunteers to walk dogs, socialize cats, tidy up, and help with fundraisers and other events.

Happy, animal-friendly 2018!