It’s Your Birthday! Make Your Special Day Extra-Special for Animals in Need

Want birthday gifts that are more meaningful than another tie or bottle of lotion this year? Celebrate your big day by making a big difference for animals in need. It’s easy—all you need is compassion and a Facebook account.

1. Get ready: Create a Facebook fundraising page. Choose the organization you’d like to support and, if you prefer, your favorite initiative that you’d like your donations to be earmarked for. You could fund free spay/neuter surgeries through your local program to help “fix” the companion animal homelessness crisis and give animals in shelters a better chance at adoption. Perhaps you’d like to aid your local registered wildlife rehabilitator in caring for injured wildlife. Maybe you want to help PETA scientists develop and promote new technology to prevent animals from being subjected to painful and deadly experiments. Or you could sponsor one of PETA’s lifesaving investigations like the eyewitness account of pervasive abuse of turkeys on “humane” farms that resulted in the most charges in any case of cruelty to factory-farmed animals in U.S. history. No matter which issue you care about most, one person can make a difference.

2. Get set: Setting a goal is a proven way to motivate people to pitch in. You could add a zero to whatever age you’ll be this year. Turning 30? Go for $300! Or aim to purchase 30 toys for neglected dogs forced to live outdoors. Remember that every dollar you raise will bring about positive change, no matter what amount you bring in.

3. Get creative: Personalize your fundraising page. Choose a great photo and write a short, personal message about the charity you’ve chosen and why you’re using your birthday to help animals.

4. Go viral: Share your page with your family and friends before and on your birthday so that they’ll know how to give you the perfect gift this year.

5. Celebrate: Enjoy your big day and watch your impact for animals multiply! And when you blow out the candles, you won’t be just wishing for a more compassionate world for all living, feeling beings—you’ll be helping to create one.

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