Animal-Friendly Family Fun

This feature was written by Stephanie Dreyer. Stephanie is the founder of VeegMama, a lifestyle brand sharing new approaches to healthy living, and the host of YouTube’s The Good Life With VeegMama. She also writes children’s books and is a mom of three. 

Sometimes we need to put aside our daily responsibilities, pack up the car, and have a family outing! But kind families never support the use of animals for entertainment.

Elephants, tigers, and other animals used in circuses, for example, spend most of their lives chained or caged. In zoos, animals like giraffes and lions live in enclosures that are hundreds of times smaller than their homes in the wild. In marine theme parks like SeaWorld, orcas are confined to what amounts to concrete bathtubs.

By choosing humane activities, your family can go home with great memories and a clear conscience. Here are some things to do on your next trip:

Visit an Animal Sanctuary

Visit a sanctuary accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS). GFAS is an organization that has rigorous standards of sanctuary management and animal care. Member sanctuaries don’t breed animals or use them in commercial activities, and they provide animals with excellent, lifetime care.

Volunteer

Animal shelters are full of animals in need of affection and attention. Visit your local shelter and play with the cats or volunteer to walk the dogs.

Take a Hike

Visit a wildlife refuge and make a game of how many chipmunks, garter snakes, frogs, turtles, and other animals you can spot. Be sure to “leave no trace” that you were there.

Go Bird-Watching

All it takes is a pair of binoculars to see and enjoy the multitude of avian species all around us. Texas has one of the most diverse bird populations in North America, so make sure you spend some time observing birds if you’re in the state.

Camp at a National Park

Plan a day trip or an overnight outing at one of the 59 national parks in the U.S. and observe animals in their own homes. Heading north? Canada has 42 beautiful national parks. Don’t forget to take along ingredients for vegan s’mores in order to make your trip that much more fun.

What types of animal-friendly activities do you like to do with your family? Let us know in the comments below!