Val, Europe

In Kaunas, Lithuania, we met Val. No, he is not an animal activist. He is just a regular guy leading a regular life, but on weekends, he is a man of the theatre. As usual, we got talking.

Val’s family owns a dog and a cat. But, when he found a lost and lonely kitten on the edge of the woods next to his home, his heart refused to let his head think. When we asked Val why he didn’t send the kitten away, he said, ‘Well, it was a choice between letting it die and letting it live. I wanted it to live, so I brought it home.’

Taking care of the environment is no longer a choice. As human beings, if we do not rise to the responsibility, who will? Are we waiting for Luke Skywalker to fight our battles?

The European Union estimates that there are about 100,000,000 (one hundred million) abandoned companion animals in Europe. People like Val are doing what they can. If you wish to take a step in that direction, the first step is to understand what your communities could do about animal protection.

All lives matter. Write to us if you have ideas and stories about the subject. Not everything can be accomplished alone. What do you think about saving the planet one neighbourhood at a time?