Whether you live near the Gulf of Mexico or not, there are ways that you can help the region and its wildlife recover from the oil spill.
If you want to help the animals affected by the spill, remember that cleaning oiled wildlife is complex and can be dangerous. It requires training, so don’t try to rescue wildlife on your own. If you are in the Gulf region and want to work on rehabilitating wildlife, there are organizations that can train you.
If you’re not able to offer direct assistance, you can always send donations to the organizations that are on the ground and working on the spill.
As with every disaster, there are scams that arise to take advantage of those that are eager to donate and support worthy causes. Be wise and be careful about where you’re sending your hard earned money. If you think you’ve found a fraudulent charity, report it to the National Center for Disaster Fraud by calling (866) 720-5721. The line is staffed by a live operator 24 hours a day, seven days a week.