April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month

Get Involved

Top 10 Ways to Fight Animal Cruelty
Help crack down on animal cruelty in your community.

Learn How to Recognize Animal Cruelty
Learn how to spot cruelty so you can take action.

Help Animals in Your Own Community
Volunteering at your local shelter is a great way to make a difference in the lives of animals.

About Us

Founded in 1866, the ASPCA was the first humane organization in the Western Hemisphere. Our mission, as stated by founder Henry Bergh, is “to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States.” While there are SPCAs and humane societies all over the country, the ASPCA is not directly affiliated with them. However, the ASPCA works nationally to rescue animals from abuse, pass humane laws and share resources with many shelters across the country.

Ways to Go Orange

What Is ASPCA’s “Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month?” One of our most important events is the celebration of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month. Each year, the ASPCA urges supporters across the country to “Go Orange for Animals” throughout the month of April—when the ASPCA’s charter was signed in 1866—to raise awareness for our cause. From creating grassroots fundraising events to getting the buildings in your town to light up orange, the possibilities are endless! Join us for April’s “Go Orange for Animals” campaign—together we can improve the lives of animals in every corner of the country. Go Orange! Glow Orange! Show Orange for Animals!

So How Do You “Go Orange” for Animals? It’s fun to go orange—and the more creative you get, the more fun it is! Orange is a vibrant, energetic color that most people find inspiring. So use it joyfully to show the world you care about animals during the month of April! We’ve provided the following ideas and suggestions on how you can go orange in your community, classroom, business, library, website, etc.! Whether you organize a pet parade in your neighborhood, get your town hall to light up in orange or decorate your car with orange paint—we thank you for being a vision in orange and helping the ASPCA spread the word about preventing cruelty to animals.

Let it Shine
Know of a cool building in your town or city that would look great lit up orange? Ask your town hall, local groceries, libraries and others to help you go orange by “lighting up” their places of business to help raise awareness about kindness and compassion. Find out who the management company is and ask them to join in with New York City’s tower buildings and the many buildings that will be lighting up orange during April. As an added incentive, let them know that their building could receive great coverage if they light up for animals; good idea to alert the media first.

Support Your Local Animal ShelterCoordinate a ”Go Orange for Animals” event with a local animal welfare group or shelter of your choice and donate the proceeds and/or supplies that you collect. Be sure to alert local media about your event! Possibilities include decorating the building orange and holding an adoption event or donation drive. To find a shelter or rescue group near you, visit our shelter database.

Tie One (or Two!) On Decorate with orange bows, ribbons and lights. They’ll look great wherever you put them—on trees, your house, over your office door, hanging from your dashboard, on your pooch, even in your hair!

Pimp Your Ride 

Vroom-vroom for animals! Write some animal-friendly messages on your vehicle— “Go Orange for Animals!” or “Celebrate Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month!” Most auto parts stores sell specific window-marking chalk for writing on your windows. You’ll be surprised by how far a little creative writing can go to help animals!

Play Dress-up 

Open your closet and get out those bright orange pants, shirts, ties, shoelaces and socks and don them every Friday—or any other day of the week—for the month of April. If you suffer from a dearth of citrus-colored clothing, simply visit the ASPCA Online Store. You’ll find a variety of orange accessories!

Sweet Treats 
Organize an orange-themed bake sale for animals at your local shelter or rescue group. Make orange cupcakes or cookies, or even cookies in the shape of cats and dogs wearing orange frosted collars! Set up a table at your school, church, local library, club or office and let people know their purchase of orange deliciousness will benefit animals for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month! You can also persuade your local bakery to create special orange baked goods and ask if it might donate some of the proceeds to animal welfare efforts.

Show Your Virtual Support 

Dedicate your Facebook status, Twitter or blog to the ASPCA during the month of April and encourage your friends to spread the word about the month-long “Go Orange for Animals” campaign! You can also join our cause on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Become an Animal Activist 

Visit our Advocacy Center to find out everything you can do to raise awareness for animal rights.

Call or write your local law enforcement officials. Let them know that animal cruelty is a crime and investigating these cases should be a priority.

Help fight for the passage of strong anti-cruelty laws on federal, state and local levels by joining the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade. As a brigade member, you’ll receive emails asking you to write letters encouraging your legislators to pass these laws—and you can send them directly from our website.

Write a letter to the editor of your local or regional newspaper, reminding them that April is “Go Orange for Animals Month.” Be sure to include a heads-up about your “Go Orange” plans. You can also contact TV and radio stations, letting them know about your event and inviting them to add their unique efforts to the “Go Orange for Animals” campaign.

Information taken from ASPCA website.

As that well known mobile phone company says the future's bright the future's orange.