Every day millions of animals are born into lives of unspeakable suffering. Every day millions more suffer terrible deaths. All animals should be able to live their lives free from misery. But they struggle in a world that is often indifferent.

The road toward better animal welfare is through cooperation, information and a strong international commitment. Urge the United Nations to adopt a Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare! The declaration would have a real, long-term impact on the welfare of billions of animals worldwide.

Note: your signature will be one more toward the goal of 10 million signatures on the "Animals Matter to Me" petition, making it the most ambitious global initiative on animal welfare that has ever been attempted!

Dear [Government Decision Maker],

I am writing to urge you to support the adoption of a Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare by the United Nations.

Billions of animals around the world are affected by humans, and rely on people to treat them with compassion. But sadly, in many countries there is little national and no international protection for animals.

An international agreement on welfare standards should become a key goal for the animal welfare movement in the 21st century. The first step toward achieving this end would be to secure a Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare at the United Nations.

A Universal Declaration by the UN would:

- Recognize animals as sentient beings, capable of suffering and experiencing pain
- Recognize that animal welfare is an issue of importance as a part of the social development of nations
- Act as a catalyst for better animal welfare provisions worldwide

By supporting a Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare at the United Nations, you can help put a stop to the cruelty that billions of animals suffer every single day.

[Your comment here]

Sincerely,
[Your name here]