I read this wonderful quote recently from somebody called Charley Willey, who worked out the following:

"Make one person happy each day and in 40 years, you will have made 14,600 human beings happy for a little time, at least." 

That struck a chord with me, and of course as an animal lover, I came up with an alternate version:

"Make one animal happy each day and in 40 years, you will have made 14,600 aniamls happy for a little time, at least."

Of course, you can make your dog or cat happy every day and at the end of that time, that will just have been one animal over the length of time that you are blessed with them.  

But then there are ways to reach out to help a vast number of animals.  

1. Feed the birds in your garden or via a window feeder, and you feed many (or more than one, at any rate). 
2. Grow wildlife friendly flowers in your garden with a simple packet of seeds, and you'll help butterflies and moths, bees and other insects.
3. Put a small wildlife pond in your garden or a bird bath and watch in enjoyment as animals come to drink or take a quick dip.
4. Plant a tree and you'll give hundreds of animals shade from the sun, shelter from the rain, and somewhere to rest and nest.
5. Sponsor an acre, and you'll help thousands of animals and many different species by providing them or protecting their habitat - the area where they live.
6. GIve a horse lover a virtual gift from a charity like the Brooke or Spana and you can help hundreds of horses, donkeys, mules and camels, all thirsty after working long hours in incredibly hot temperatures.   
7. Add your name to a petition and improve the lot of animals in your country or abroad.

Every act helps and every act has the power to improve the lives of animals and people world wide.  And every act has the potential to help not just one animal but millions of them.