Animals; our friends who share our planet and our hearts, without sharing a language. However, if they could speak, I'm sure they would say these five ways to spread compassion in our every day lives.

1. Ditch the circus.

Yes, the circus was a fun childhood memory, but it is simply torture for the animals involved. Do you really think an elephant wants to stand on its hind legs? Do you really think a lion wants to jump through a hoop? Of course not. The colorful three ring show disguises the captive animals who are forced to perform, under constant fear of punishment to perform painful, unnatural, cruel and repetitious actions. Between the constant confinement, horrendous travel methods and inhumane treatment, there is no room to paint circuses in a positive light.

2. ..and while you're at it, ditch zoos and aquariums, too.

Animals are meant to be free, and any type of confinement (besides for safety, rescue and rehabilitation), is unfair to their natural instincts. They are deprived of their natural life, become lonely or bored, and ultimately become unhappy because they cannot thrive as they should. In the worst case scenarios, the animals are not kept in proper conditions and are abused by ill trained caretakers. Think about it for a minute, if you were a polar bear would you want all of antarctica or a small patch of snow in an enclosure? If you were a whale would you want the entire ocean or to be forced into doing tricks in a practically miniature tank? The answer is clear.

3. Sign petitions as often as you can.

We all don't have time to protest on a street side for causes we hold dear, but we all have 10 seconds a day to sign an online petition. This is the easiest way to give a voice to our voiceless animal friends. Think the Yulin Dog Meat Festival is horrible? There's a petition for that. Think big game hunting is a tragedy? There's a petition for that too. Animals can't speak up for themselves, so we owe it to them to fight for their right to life. (see thepetitionsite.com, animal petitions.org) The animals will be forever grateful!

4. Dress to (not) Kill.

You can be a trendsetter by wearing compassionate fashion by leaving leather, fur, wool, etc. out of your wardrobe. These fashion statements support the killing and torture of innocent creatures for true selfishness. And, if makeup is your thing, be sure to choose brands that are indicated to not use animal testing. These are small and simple ways to ensure your beauty on the inside is reflected on your beauty choices on the outside.

5. Implement a plant-based diet.

Perhaps one of the more difficult ways to be compassionate to our animal friends, but certainly the most beneficial and rewarding, making plant-based eating choices is a huge step forward for animal welfare. Whether it's a meatless Monday here and there, or a full blown vegan eating lifestyle, no step goes unnoticed in the help it gives to animals. If we all participated in meatless Monday (yes, just one day a week), 1.4 BILLION animals would be saved! Appetite can take a back seat to saving the lives of animals who deserve the right to life just as we all do.

"Know that the same spark of life that is in within you, is within all of our animal friends, the desire to live is the same within all of us." - Rai Aren