4 Ways to Help America's Animals on Independence Day

Today is a day to celebrate freedom and independence ... well, if you're a human. While animals play a huge role in our lives, from the pets we treat like family to the food choices we make to the wildlife that surrounds us, very little thought is given to their liberty on this holiday. It's time to change that and think about the right other species should have to pursue happiness, too. Here are four ways that you can honor animals on Independence Day:

1. Stand up for America's dogs. Families across America have lost, or are in danger of losing, their four-legged family members for no reason other than the way the dog looks. As Ledy VanKavage has said, pit bulls are as American as apple pie, yet they are the prime targets of breed profiling. It's not just pit bulls, nor has it always been bully breeds — German Shepherds, Rottweilers, and Dobermans all had their heyday of bad reputations, too. It could be your dog next. No dog, or family, deserves to be the victim of ignorance, and all citizens deserve to be protected from irresponsible owners and dangerous dogs of any breed. Take a stand against ineffective and costly breed specific policies. You can start by telling American Family Insurance to live up to their name and stop discriminating against family pets based on breed rather than behavior.

2. Opt for the veggy dog. I have to admit that I'm pretty appalled by all the headlines focused on hot dog eating contests today. Other than the number of animals who had to lose their lives for cheap thrills, is there really nothing else to report on? Is inhaling animal products really the best way to show off patriotism and freedom? It sure gives the meat industry a reason to celebrate, but not so much for the animals (or the arteries of the contestants).

Millions of animals are spending today — and every day — crammed in dark factory farms, where they can barely move and never see the light of day. Doesn't sound much like freedom to me. But you can choose not to support this cruelty. Today is the perfect day to go meat-free in honor of all the animals who will never see a day of independence in their lives. And you don't have to be left out of the grilling — veggies are amazing on the grill and there are lots of great vegetarian burger and hot dog substitutes on the market.

3. Support freedom for chimpanzees in laboratories. It's inconceivable that the United States is the last country in the world to deny more than 1,000 great apes their freedom by using them in large-scale invasive experiments. Of course, chimps aren't the only animals suffering in the name of science, but they are the one species where there's a proposal on the table, in our legislature, that would free them. Tell your representatives to co-sponsor and support the Great Ape Protection Act, which would not only end chimpanzee experiments in the U.S., but would release all federally-owned chimpanzees to the safety of a sanctuary for the rest of their lives.

4. Declare Your Energy Independence. Assuming you're not emerging from hibernation just in time for fireworks, you're aware of the disaster that continues to unfold in the Gulf of Mexico. Every day we hear reports of oiled wildlife that may not survive even after they've been rescued and endangered species being burned alive in the oil. It will be a long time before we discover the true toll of the BP oil spill on the Gulf of Mexico, endangered birds and marine life, and the larger ocean ecosystem. There was a lot of negligence that caused this disaster, and that continue to bungle clean-up efforts, but the truth is that we, the people, are not blameless.

Unless any of you are reading this off the grid, we've all contributed to the oil addiction in this country. And we don't have to wait for more oil spills for our addiction to cause trouble for wildlife — a third of all species face extinction this century, and fossil fuel-induced climate change is a huge factor, as well as habitat loss for gas and oil development. If we don't start paying attention, millions of animals will lose a lot more than their freedom. So, to borrow from the Environment blog today: Declare your energy independence and start a revolution.

Enjoy the holiday, but don't forget the animals whose freedom is threatened or nonexistent. And remember to keep your pets safe this weekend: don't leave them in cars for any reason, for any length of time, and give them a quiet celebration at home, away from the stress of fireworks.

Photo credit: Pam Roth