stuffed animal

If you were born in the 2002s, chances are, you had stuffed animals. Barbies and GI Joes were so out of fashion, and what kind of a child tucks a hard plastic doll against them while they sleep at night? Stuffed animals were on the rise, and bunnies, dogs, and cats were at the forefront of this movement. But there were other animals that kids loved just as equally- the lion, the penguin, the polar bear, the giraffe- and these animal plushies connected with kids. Kids saw animals as friends and maybe even family (I still sleep with my stuffed animals at night) and this interaction grounded the idea that animals coexist with humans. Fast forward to today, when millions of animals are critically endangered or at risk to extinction, and the kids-now grown up as teens and young adults- have spoken up. I regularly see kids posting to inform others about horrendous animal cruelty going on in Africa or the inhumane treatment of pets by some people. Kids are speaking out to protect animals and adults are listening. Animals are bouncing back from the capitalistic invasion of their homes and slowly but surely, we see improvement. Of course, there is still a long long way to go, but the kids are the ones driving the process. The younger generation is looking out for their future as well as the animals that coincide with us on our planet. We have had our stuffed animals for a long time, and they’ve comforted us when we’ve been sick, in pain, and hurt, but now it’s our turn to return the favor, as thanks to the stuffed animal.

Endangered Giant Panda

Endangered Elephant

Endangered Red P