10 Animal Sanctuaries that are Saving Lives

Box Raised Ducklings Experience Sunlight, Mud, & Water for the First Time.

A very cute yet powerful video showing ducklings outside for the first time.

Two Rescued Veal Calves Run in the Sun For the First Time in Their Lives!

Teenagers Find Stranded Dolphin And Stop Everything To Help Him. A stranded dolphin and a couple of teenagers? This meeting definitely had a happy ending.

This Golden Went Missing For Nearly 2 Years. When He’s Reunited With His Family? Get The Tissues!

This Golden Retriever, named Gunnar, went missing from his family’s home in Verona, Pennsylvania nearly two years ago. His family desperately searched everywhere for him, but unfortunately to no avail. Meanwhile, officers from Pittsburgh Animal Care and Control got a call about a dog roaming around Squirrel Hill, P.A. No one was able to get the dog because he was nervous and too quick. But they never gave up on trying to get the dog. Over the next few months, their search continued. They were finally successful! Once they had him, they brought him to the Animal Rescue League Shelter and Wildlife Center in Pittsburgh, P.A. There, they checked for a microchip and were able to identify his family! They immediately notified them and they came to the shelter to pick him up. Their reunion was a tear-jerker for sure! Gunnar jumped up and put his paws on his human’s shoulder, as if he were giving him a big hug. Then he gave him endless kisses. So cute!

The Oldest Pygmy Hippo In The U.S. Lives A Pampered Life

Hannah Shirley was rescued from the exotic pet trade and this past year she turned 42 years old! She's reportedly the oldest pygmy hippo in the United States. She lives a (deservingly) pampered life with a swimming pool, sprinkler and lots of enrichment activities. Isn't she adorable?

Heartbreak and Euphoria for Mama Dog and Her Pups.

After finding an emaciated mother pit bull in the streets of New Orleans, the Villalobos rescue team desperately searches for her pups. Will this family ever be reunited? | For more Pit Bulls and Parolees, visit http://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/pitbulls-and-parolees/#mkcpgn=ytapl1

Rescued Chimpanzee Joe Meets Jane Goodall.

Joe was imprisoned in a squalid cage at a roadside zoo. PETA has been working to free Joe for years and in 2016, we succeeded. Joe was imprisoned in this squalid cage at this decrepit roadside zoo for 17 years.

When he was young, he was taught to perform tricks by notorious Hollywood animal trainer Steve Martin, who has a long history of dumping chimpanzees in roadside zoos when they grow up and get too strong to be controlled.

And that’s what happened to Joe. He was dumped at The Mobile Zoo, where he was confined to a tiny, rusted cage, isolated and alone.

PETA has been working to free Joe for years, and in 2016, we succeeded. Joe was finally released and, with the help of Save the Chimps sanctuary, we were able to take him to his wonderful new home.

At the sanctuary, he will have the opportunity to learn to be part of a family and finally has enough space to climb and explore like a real chimpanzee.

A Message from Bella & Julie: When I was little, I lived in an animal shelter. I couldn't walk - just crawl - but Julie knew I needed a real home and adopted me. We've been a family for ten years now (along with my feline friend, Stripes, who was also adopted from a shelter)! Julie works for NYCLASS and, along with supporters just like you, has been speaking up for years about the need to have full-service animal shelters in every borough.

Now NYC is one step closer to that goal and we're saying, "thanks!"

I was lucky - too many other homeless animals suffer and die without full-service shelters to connect humans to furry and feathered friends. In a city like New York, geography shouldn't determine if a person can have access to the joys of pet companionship and no animal should be left without hope of finding home. That's why we're so excited that Mayor de Blasio's budget includes a $10 million allocation for creating and maintaining two new full-service shelters!

Tails are wagging across the city because of this victory - this is the first step towards making sure that New York City can care for homeless animals and connect humans looking for pet companionship with animals in need. Humane voters across NYC worked hard to send the message to elected officials that full-service shelters are a priority, and leaders like Council Members Paul Vallone and Corey Johnson stepped up to lead the charge.

We're giving everyone who fought for change a paw (and our gratitude). After all, full-service animal shelters help pets just like me find homes!

Sign on now to add your thanks!

Thanks for "hounding" your elected officials,
Bella (with some help from Julie on the typing)

The greatest city in the world deserves a world-class animal shelter system – with full-service shelters in every borough. Mayor Bill de Blasio’s allocation of $10 million toward the creation of new animal shelters is a major win for animals and all New Yorkers. This will reduce inequality across the city and strengthen our communities, providing animals with humane living circumstances and New Yorkers with the basic access to the love and companionship a pet provides.

Help us thank the community partners and leaders, such as Council Members Paul Vallone and Corey Johnson, for their tireless work on this issue. Add your name now to say thanks!

The Fallen Angels need you. Two years ago Gail Basson sold her house and together with Shireen Williams bought a desolate piece of land in South Africa and formed Fallen Angels, a search and rescue mission for injured and abandoned dogs and cats.

Today Fallen Angels is home to 255 dogs and 40 sick cats. Dogs like Jagger, who was bred as a fighting dog. When he became sick, a vicious thug threw acid over his face, blinding him in one eye and leaving huge wounds on his face. Then the monster cut off Jagger’s ears.

Fallen Angels rescued Jagger, paid for his medical care and gave him refuge in their sanctuary. Jagger is one of hundreds of dogs that Fallen Angels has rescued in its short existence. People who spot an injured, abandoned dog or cat call Fallen Angels and no matter what time, day or night, Shireen and her team go and rescue them in a huge area around Melkbosstrand in South Africa’s Western Cape. They take them to the sanctuary, feed and provide medical care, love and pamper them and wherever possible find them homes.

To the dogs and cats who find themselves in Fallen Angels, Shireen and her team are saints and the dogs reward them by showing their love in wagging tails and happy barks. Shireen and her team do all this for love of the animals. None of them draw salaries and they live a Vegan lifestyle. Their lives are devoted to animals.

They ask nothing for themselves but what they need desperately is a vehicle. They have no car of their own and rely on volunteers with cars to come to the aid of the dogs and cats in need. But sometimes in the early hours of the morning no volunteer can be found. So Fallen Angels has been saving to buy a pick-up truck with a canopy that can be based at the sanctuary and used to rescue animals no matter what the time is.

Fallen Angels is doing tremendous work on a shoe-string budget led by a determined team and backed by volunteers, many from local schools.

Will you help Network for Animals help the Fallen Angels? Network has promised to ask our supporters to make a donation and be as generous as you can today to not only help buy a rescue vehicle, but provide food and medical care for the dogs and cats of Fallen Angels. It’s amazing how kind human beings can be. Shireen and her team give their lives to the animals. They deserve your support. Please help.

Yes, New York City Has Sea Turtles and Seals, and Some Awesome People Are Rescuing Them. Marine wildlife is thriving in the country’s biggest metropolitan area, and a rescue group is working to keep it that way. Stranded sea turtles usually start appearing along the Northeast coast of the United States in late November, as the animals that did not make it south in time to avoid falling ocean temperatures become hypothermic and unable to swim or feed. But in the fall of 2015, said marine biologist Rob DiGiovanni, “turtles started to increase more in early December. Maybe because of the climate we had at the time”—it was the world’s warmest November and December on record—“we had animals come in alive on the 23rd of December, still able to be revived."

As the executive director of the Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation, DiGiovanni runs the only organization in New York licensed to assess and pick up stranded seals, dolphins, and sea turtles—all protected species under federal law—from the state’s 2,625 miles of coastlines, beaches, bays, and estuaries.

Nursing marine animals back to health takes skill, dedication, and money. But the group’s challenge is to get the word out that Long Island’s beaches—despite being nestled in the nation’s most densely populated metropolitan area and best known as a summer party destination—are also habitat for wild animals that need special treatment when they show up onshore.

“Education and outreach are among the biggest things we can do to let people know they’re here, that they’re protected,” said DiGiovanni. “Maybe people are seeing animals but just assuming that they’re not there, so sightings go unreported.”

Walking along a Long Island beach in early February, DiGiovanni pointed to the “wrack line": a jumbled band of seaweed, shells, and trash running parallel to the waterline, thrown dozens of feet inland by the high tide. This was where cold-stunned sea turtles typically turned up, he said, although it takes an attentive eye to spot a brown-green animal lying, probably motionless, in the brown-black tangles of sea kelp and driftwood.

“After high tide, walk the beach and look at the wrack line for something unusual,” said DiGiovanni. “If you find a turtle, don’t move it. Don’t touch it. Make sure it’s secure, and then find a stick to mark where the animal is,” so that rescuers can find it—because each length of beach looks much like another. And always call in the sighting, DiGiovanni stressed, because hypothermic turtles may appear dead but may still be saved, while dead turtles can provide scientists and wildlife managers with valuable information.

We were not spotting any sea turtles on this day—it was late in the stranding season to find survivors, said DiGiovanni. But we were seeing plenty of litter. As we walked and talked, we steadily filled a kitchen can–size garbage sack with cigarette butts, plastic shopping bags, tangles of fishing line, and other plastic trash, along with beer and soda cans.

Plastic trash is a danger to wildlife, and a common sight on New York's beaches. (Photo: Emily J. Gertz)

“This might not seem like it did a lot, but it made a difference,” said DiGiovanni as he tossed the bag into the backseat of his car. “If you weren’t writing this story, that’s one bag of garbage that would still be on this beach.”

Marine plastic trash has become so abundant and so widespread that scientists are calling it a global crisis for ocean life. One of the worst things he has seen in decades of marine animal rescue, DiGiovanni said, was a dead dolphin with plastic debris spilling out of its mouth.

In 2002, Riverhead rescuers picked up a seal entangled in four pounds of plastic fishnets and line; a picture of the animal features prominently in the Riverhead Foundation's educational exhibit at the Long Island Aquarium, where it is based.

“Marine debris is something we always see in our animals, and it’s not going away,” said biologist Samantha Rosen, the Riverhead Foundation's education coordinator, who organizes several beach cleanings a month through the group’s new “Pick It Up” program.

Rosen, now in her mid-20s, first got interested in marine mammals when her mother brought her to a whale autopsy “with the people who are now my bosses,” she said. She went on to volunteer with the group, then interned while studying biology at a nearby college, and joined the staff about two and a half years ago.

“You’re excited that you get to work with these animals,” she said, “and nervous because you want to save them.”

The Riverhead Foundation gets an average of 200 hotline calls a year. In 2015 its rescue teams, which include staff and volunteers, responded to calls about 71 stranded seals and 24 cetaceans—dolphins, whales, and porpoises. Less then halfway into 2016, the group has rescued more than a dozen seals.

Of the 34 turtles Riverhead picked up during the 2015–16 stranding season, there are 11 survivors: 10 green sea turtles and one Kemp’s ridley, all endangered species. They swim in two sizable standing pools in the group’s animal care area, a warehouse-size expanse behind the aquarium’s exhibition space that also houses more than a dozen wood-walled enclosures for rescued seals, each with a small tank of circulating water. Plexiglas portholes allow staff to check on the patients without adding to the animals’ stress.

Responding to a hotline call, the Riverhead Foundation retrieved this stranded gray seal pup from a beach in Westhampton, New York, in early February. (Photo: Emily J. Gertz)

It’s an airy, clean, well-lit space, with the no-frills atmosphere of any veterinary facility: a place optimized for tending injured and traumatized wild animals.

Off to one side, a small exam room fronted by two-way mirrors offers an education opportunity to aquarium visitors, who can observe unseen as animals rescued from the nearby beaches receive care.

Rehabilitating a rescued sea turtle or marine mammal doesn’t come quick or cheap. Seals usually need about two months to recover, at a cost of roughly $10,500 per animal in housing, medicine, and fish. Turtles stay in care for six to eight months, at a cost of about $15,000 per animal, because they cannot be released until summer. Nursing a dolphin back to health also takes months and costs up to $100,000.

The group relies primarily on public donations and grants to meet expenses, along with some funding that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provides to its marine rescue network.

“When you look at a species like the Kemp’s ridley, which is so endangered, any animal you can save is important,” DiGiovanni said. “It’s what we do as a society, to care for animals. We don’t want to see them suffer, so if there are things we have introduced to the environment that cause them harm, having a program that can respond to those harms is needed.”

With a staff of 11 employees and two volunteer veterinarians, it’s a lot of ground to cover. But DiGiovanni suspects that many stranded animals are never spotted. “We cover the hot spots,” he said, but “until we can get better coverage of our beaches on Long Island, we’re not going to really know the magnitude of the problem.”

Mendy Garron, the stranding network coordinator for NOAA’s Greater Atlantic Region, which stretches from Maine to Virginia, said that the group accomplishes an impressive amount of work given its size. “Dead animal response, live animal response, and rehabilitation and release. Some organizations might do two of these,” she said, while Riverhead does all three and is also the region’s only marine mammal rescue organization authorized to rehabilitate stranded cetaceans, such as dolphins.

“They don’t just do the response and rehab but also are involved in aerial survey work for population studies,” she said. “They do a lot of tagging work and also have expertise in large whale necropsies—which we utilize both in and beyond the region. They’re not just serving New York but benefiting the national network as well.”

Riverhead’s territory includes New York City’s 520 miles of urban waterfront, where conditions pose sometimes-insurmountable challenges. In 2013, the group experienced a public backlash after opting not to rescue a common dolphin trapped in the Gowanus Canal, a muddy Brooklyn waterway better known as an industrial waste site than as a haven for marine life.

Rob DiGiovanni, executive director of the Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation. (Photo: Emily J. Gertz)

“Whenever we’re going to attempt a rescue, we look at the safety of the animals and the rescuers,” DiGiovanni said. “When we were talking with the police and fire departments, they said they would not be able to rescue us if something happened. It’s very difficult, but I think the people we had there made the calls that needed to be made.” The experience and its aftermath were traumatic for his team.

Garron said that Riverhead made the right call, particularly as common dolphins that show up so far from their typical habitat far offshore are usually too sick or injured to recover. “Most of the outcomes for those situations are not good—the animal dies or has to be humanely euthanized,” she noted. “NOAA Fisheries has to do a better job of getting that message out to the public. There is so much involved in what Riverhead does that people don’t see and understand the whole picture.”

With 16 seals and 11 sea turtles under care, Riverhead is looking forward to a spring and summer of returning animals to the wild. Seals can be freed year-round, and the group intends to release two this week. The turtles will have to wait for the return of summer warmth.

Releases attract hundreds of residents, which helps spread the word about caring for New York’s marine life, DiGiovanni said. “We’ve focused on getting good at this work. Now we need to build the support system with the community.”

Rescued Canada Goose with an Injured Leg. Catching a goose that is injured, but can still fly, is usually quite difficult. As Simon says: 'you have one chance to catch it, and one chance only!' We were called out to rescue a Canada Goose who had problems with one leg. After a swift and skillful catch, Simon brought it back to the centre for a check-up with the vet to see if the bird could be released back to the wild...

Amazing Rescue Team Saves 171 Dogs From the Meat Trade! Just 11 weeks before South Korea’s Bok Nal Days of Dog Meat Eating, Humane Society International (HSI) has rescued 171 dogs from a cruel fate at a dog meat farm in Wonju, South Korea! These 171 pups are part of the final 250 dogs rescued by HSI from this particular farm. Thanks to their hard work, in conjunction with placement partners, the rescued dogs are being flown to rescues and shelters in the U.S. and Canada – hundreds of these dogs have already found loving forever homes!

Amazing Rescue Team Saves 171 Dogs From the Meat Trade from South Korea’s Bok Nal Days of Dog Meat Eating

Sadly, this one dog meat farm is not an anomaly. There are thousands of farms like this one throughout South Korea, ranging from small backyard enterprises to huge farming facilities containing thousands of dogs. Each year, approximately 2.5 to 3 million are sent to meat farms to live out miserable lives of deprivation and captivity. They spend their entire lives trapped in small, barren wire cages, without any access to proper care or even the most basic needs. Then, they’re electrocuted and slaughtered for consumption. This is absolutely horrifying. And most horrifying is that this is not limited to South Korea – other countries such as China hold dog meat festivals such as the Yulin Dog Meat Festival.

But dog meat farmers are undeterred by these horrible practices – in fact, with prices for a large dog coming in at $175 each, farmers stop at nothing to breed these poor dogs.

While it is not common for South Koreans to consume dog meat on an average day, especially among the younger generations, many still participate in the traditions of the Bok Nal. It is believed by many that the dog meat stew consumed has the power to “cool the blood.” However, this is unfounded, and in fact, consuming dog meat comes with many health risks.
Amazing Rescue Team Saves 171 Dogs From the Meat Trade from South Korea’s Bok Nal Days of Dog Meat Eating

However, most people are unaware of the extreme suffering the dogs endure, having never visited a dog meat farm. And the dogs bred for meat are not different than the loving companions many humans care for in their homes. Dogs raised for meat range from large Mastiffs, Jindo mixes, Golden Retrievers, Beagles, and Chihuahuas. The very dogs that many call best friends.

First and foremost, educating yourself and others about the dangers associated with eating dog meat is critical to bringing an end to this practice. Humane Society International has a wealth of information and resources to help and they also run large campaigns encouraging country leaders to take action to ban the trade altogether. Many people are not aware of the cruel practices and dangers or even the existence of the dog meat trade, so your best course of action is to educate yourself and others to expose the truth of this industry – share this article to get started!

Finally, it’s important to recognize that these dogs, who want to live a happy and free life, are no different than the pigs and cows that we raise for meat here in the U.S. If we could all see the animals around us as complex, emotional beings, instead of mindless commodities, the world would be a much kinder place.

If you would like to support their work, visit their page here. All Image Source: Meredith Lee/Humane Society International!

Dog Who Could Barely Walk Undergoes Amazing Transformation!

Elephants off their chain for the first time Full HD.

This video is shows the reaction of the elephants when they are first unchained at the trekking camp and able to roam freely in the jungle. Let's see what elephants do after the chain is removed from their leg. This is the new project that elephant Nature Park have convinced to free their elephants to their natural habitat in Maewang district Chiang Mai Thailand. Learn more: www.saveelephant.org

Applaud Rescue of Nearly 50 Neglected Monkeys.

Target: Sue Mousley, Founder, International Primate Rescue

Click to say Thanks!

Goal: Praise the seizure of 49 starving and severely ill monkeys from a private zoo attraction.

Three tortoises and 49 monkeys were recently rescued from a private zoo outside of Johannesburg, South Africa. The animals, which include spider, capuchin, and squirrel monkeys, were kept as attractions in a garden center. Various bird species still remain at the center, though rescuers called in bird experts to investigate their living conditions.

According to International Primates Rescue (IPR) founder Sue Mousley, visitors have made several complaints about the animals’ living conditions. Because the garden center repeatedly failed to comply with the group’s demands to improve the space, a court order was obtained allowing the group to remove the animals form the premises.

The animals rescued suffered dehydration as well as severe malnutrition made evident by protruding bones. They were found in small, filthy cages without proper access to food and water. Many suffered from rickets, a condition brought on by deficiencies of calcium and vitamin D and resulting in muscle and bone weakness as well as physical deformity.

The animals have been transported to an IPR care facility and will be nursed back to health in upcoming weeks. Some of them may be left with permanent disabilities due to the severe neglect they faced. Without the help of rescuers, it is likely that many would have died. Sign the petition below to applaud IPR’s persistence in the rescue of 49 monkeys from a garden center zoo.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear Ms. Mousley,

Nearly 50 primates and three tortoises were recently rescued from the abhorrent conditions they were being kept in as attractions to a garden center. The animals were kept in filthy enclosures with inadequate access to food and water — conditions that have garnered several complaints against the facility. Upon rescue, many of the animals were found to be dehydrated and malnourished. Some even suffered from rickets as a direct result of nutritional deficiencies.

The monkeys, which were transported to an IPR care facility, will need several weeks to recover from this cruelty. Some may suffer illness or even deformity for the rest of their lives. Without your help, it is likely that many of these animals would not have survived much longer. We, the undersigned, thank you for your tenacious and timely actions to rescue these animals.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Photo credit: Michelle Rebak

Abandoned Baboon Finds Comfort In Soft Toy.

A baby baboon, who was rejected by his mother immediately after he was born in an Indian zoo, has found some ‘motherly comfort’ in a stuffed toy.

The 16-day-old male Hamadryas baboon was born on April 4 in Mysore zoo in southern India. But within few hours, his mother Doyanna refused to feed him.

The zoo authorities then took up the challenge of hand-rearing the primate and with feeding him milk with a bottle, they also gave him a toy version of his own species so he gets motherly company.

Sweet Beagle With Awesome Wheelchair Shows There’s No Such Thing as Broken. Animals, like humans, have to deal with the curveballs life throws at them. Just as some people are born with disabilities or suffer from a physical injury in their life, dogs can also experience these things and have to adapt to a new lifestyle. For example, Sadie, the beagle, has lost the ability to walk using her legs. Instead, she uses wheels to maneuver around her home.

Unfortunately, Sadie kept slipping out of her contraption. Thankfully, her loving guardian and veterinarian were able to come up with a creative solution: a wrap that can be strapped onto Sadie, with two small faux legs, to keep her in place as she wheels around.

With the wrap, Sadie seems to have a much easier time staying in her cart, upright, and ready to roll!

Now that she can ride without interruptions, she jets past her brother excitedly. An activity, that unsurprisingly tires the lil’ pup out.

All too often, people don’t give animals with disabilities the chance they deserve to lead long, happy lives. The fact is that animals are incredibly resilient when they are given a chance and Sadie is proof of this. “Broken” is simply a mindset and if we can all learn to see animals for the beautiful individuals they are, regardless of any physical or emotional trauma, we can help foster a more compassionate – and happy world. We are so glad that the kind people who care for Sadie went above and beyond to help this pup lead a normal life. All Image Source: JessicaAK/Imgur

After Suffering 13 Years in the Bile Industry, Chau the Moon Bear Gets Her Freedom! here is an enormous amount of suffering inherent in the bear bile farming industry. Although this concept might seem bizarre in the eyes of a Western audience, consuming bear bile to treat everything from hangovers, arthritis, and serious ailments has been part of Traditional Asian Medicine for centuries. As a result of the popularity of this product, industrialized bear bile farming has become a serious problem, Animals Asia estimates there are around 10,000 bears kept in bile farms in China and around 1,200 in Vietnam.

Bears raised in bile farms spend their lives in “crush” cages that are designed to keep bears still while the bile is painfully drained from their gallbladders on a daily basis. These animals know nothing but pain, fear, and suffering for their entire lives. All of this is done simply so consumers can enjoy a product that has numerous synthetic alternatives that do not require any form of animal abuse.

Given the brutality of this industry, it is wonderful to know that there are many people working to put an end to this industry. Animals Asia, for example, works tirelessly to help bile farmers transition out of this cruel industry and give bears a better life. Most recently, this incredible organization helped carry out the rescue of a moon bear named Chau who spent the last 13 years of her life inside a cage.

Rescuers believe that Chau was taken from the wild as a cub and has never known anything but life in captivity..

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Freeing Chau from her enclosure needed a lot of care and planning. The bear was visibly agitated by the presence of so many people.

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These are the locks that held the bear for so many years. They had rusted shut entirely – a testament to the extreme limits on her freedom.

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After 13 years of pacing the same wire cage, Chau is finally on her way to learn what it means to be a bear.

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Chau and the rescue team have a long journey back to Animals Asia’s sanctuary in Vietnam and it will take a number of days for them to reach their final destination. Once at the sanctuary, this bear will finally get all the medical care and attention she so sorely needs and after a period of quarantine, she will be able to join other former bile bears. This epic rescue marks the very first step in Chau’s journey to get the life she always deserved.

To learn more about Animals Asia and their life-saving work, click here.

Heartwarming Picture of Rescued Baby Chicks Will Make You Rethink the Way You Look at Food. Who doesn’t love a fluffy baby chick? They’re the tiny ambassadors of cuteness, Youtube videos with these little chirpers get thousands of views and likes, and most people have wanted to experience the joy of holding a baby chick at least once. Unfortunately, just as these birds are perceived as adorable creatures, they are also seen as non-feeling commodities of the meat industry. Every single day, the meat and egg industry flings baby chicks into one of two places: straight to a factory farm, or the garbage. While factory farm workers are trained to act in machine-like fashion, quickly deciding which chicks are fit for consumption and which are not, this hasty decision holds an immensely different destiny for each chick.

We don’t know the exact circumstances as to why the two chicks in the image below, rescued by Santuario Igualdad Interspecie, were discarded but we sure are glad they were.

When a nearby factory farm tossed these chicks away, kind rescuers from this organization swooped in and quickly took up guardianship of them, naming the chicks Alex and Paris. Nestled in their new caretaker’s sweater, these chicks look like any other newborn in need of care. If these chicks had been born in nature, they would be burrowing under their mother’s warm and loving chest. Instead, all they have known is a life of fear, stress, and anxiety.
Witnessing the pleasure and joy these birds get from a simple rub down and the way they chirp and trot about happily, claiming that these animals have emotional depth is undeniable.They, just as every other being on the planet, craves love and comfort.

Why is it that in one scenario we see baby chicks as adorable creatures that we carefully handle as to not hurt a single one of their feathers, and at other times, we see them as nameless, non-feeling objects? Chickens not only feel pain and fear, but they are incredibly smart. They can learn how to do puzzles, and play games, and they are amazing mothers that take care of their babies and even have been seen “talking” and “purring” to their eggs. Baby chicks are even known to show object permanence or the ability to understand object exists, even when they can’t see it. Considering their incredible intelligence and emotional abilities, we must remember that at the end of the day, a chicken isn’t just a menu item, it’s a living, breathing thing.

To learn more about the incredible work being done by Santuario Igualdad Interespecie, visit their website. All Image Source: Santuario Igualdad Interespecie/Facebook

Homeless Puppies Rescued in the Rubble After Haiti Earthquake - There is Hope For Paws

Share To Adopt! Donate To Rescue More: http://www.WA2S.org/donate

Meet Marcos Polanco and His Team of Rescue Volunteers from SODOPRECA - based in Santo Domingo, DR who rescue dogs after disaster and provide aid and comfort to people in peril

World Animal Awareness Society Executive Director Tom McPhee went to earthquake ravaged Haiti to asses the animal specific rescue operations and lend support to non profits on the ground helping the citizens of Port-au-Prince.

Footage was gathered while embedding with the non profit Sodoprec@ from the Dominican Republic while they helped the ARCH coalition build relationships with the local government and other support groups.

The World Animal Awareness Society is still adding to this epic human saga.

To donate to the WA2S Volunteer Emergency Disaster Response Team: http://www.WA2S.org/donate

If you love Eldad Hagar Hope For Paws Videos, You'll enjoy WA2S Films dog rescue videos too!

Group of Surfers Came Across Stranded Dolphins on the Beach and Did Something Incredible!

A quick reminder: Chihuahua-pinscher-cross Milka was found alongside her mum, both living as strays amongst garbage cans and covered with fleas and ticks. After a FOUR PAWS staff member treated, cleaned and nursed the two dogs, Milka quickly found a new home with one of our FOUR PAWS colleagues. Milka’s mother has also remained in the FOUR PAWS family, being adopted by another FOUR PAWS employee. Milka is a bright dog and loves to play with big toys, which may even be larger than she is. Her strength: she puts a smile on everyone’s face.
The fate of terrier cross Gimli is similar. He was only a few months old when he was found tied up on the street. There was no one in sight who was responsible for the dog. He was brought to a shelter and adopted by a FOUR PAWS employee after a few months. He is still a little scared of strangers, but extremely friendly as soon as he knows someone better. One thing Gimli is really good at doing? He high fives with both paws.

Giving strays or animals from a shelter a new home surely doesn’t just make our colleagues happy. Have any of you also adopted an animal? Share your stories with us.

Meet our Orang-Utans: Robert & Kiki

It’s nice to see how well our orangutans have developed. In the video you can see Robert, who was brought to our reception station in June 2010 at the age of two. Unfortunately nothing is known about his origin and background. However, he has quickly grown into an independent ape and already knows the forest well. He still prefers to play with the females, as seen here with Kiki. At the moment Robert is at our FOUR PAWS orangutan academy to prepare for a life in the wild. He will be at home very soon. After all, this is where he comes from.

Read more on our website: http://www.vier-pfoten.org/en/projects/apes/

Little Chick Who Miraculously Survived Being Gassed and Frozen Now Gets to Enjoy the Simple Happiness of Life in Sanctuary Home.

Chickens are some of the most misunderstood animals. Although they’re incredibly intelligent and emotional beings, most people see them as “bird-brained” animals that don’t understand anything about the world around them. This couldn’t be farther from the truth, but sadly, this belief has led us to subject chickens to some of the worst forms of abuse in the animal agriculture industry. Thankfully, there are many kind people and organizations working to put an end to this cruelty by spreading the truth about these animals. Edgar’s Mission Farm Sanctuary is one such organization that strives to create a world where all animals are given the love and respect they deserve.

In this video, we see Pam Ahern, the founder of Edgar’s Mission with Red Baron a little rescued chick. Red Baron was born into the egg industry and since males are considered non-profitable “waste,” he was gassed along with hundreds of his brothers and then frozen to be sold as snake food. Miraculously, this tiny chick survived and when he arrived at his destination, the person who heard his chirps decided to spare him and brought him to Edgar’s Mission.

Saved from certain death, this happy chicken now spends his days in the care of the amazing sanctuary staff who absolutely adore him. Red Baron is known for hanging out on Pam’s shoulder or perched on her head! They really are inseparable friends.

If you think this is the life all chickens deserve, share this video and encourage others to learn more about these brilliant animals. To learn more about Edgar’s Mission, check out their website and Facebook page.

ELMWOOD, WI: Following a string of back-to-back rescues, the ASPCA is on the ground again at the request of Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, helping remove nearly 50 yellow Labradors from a suspected puppy mill. The dogs—including 35 adults and 13 puppies—were living in small, filthy travel crates with no access to food or water. Numerous deceased animals were found on the scene.

“What we saw here is no way for a dog to live,” said one ASPCA responder. Puppies born in mills are sold for profit at an early age, while their parents are subjected to incessant breeding with little regard for their health or wellbeing.

This puppy mill raid marks our third rescue in the month of April alone. We currently have hundreds of animals in our custody and are working around the clock to provide them all with critical medical care, warm beds, healthy food and loving kindness. But we simply cannot continue our life-saving work without your support: We are relying on you to help these and so many other abused and abandoned animals right now.

These 48 innocent dogs are finally being offered a second chance, so please don’t turn your back on them. Help the ASPCA protect victims of animal cruelty by making an urgent donation today.

Share to Adopt! Donate to SAVE MORE! http://www.WA2S.org/donate. This whole series of events took place before the rain and flooding in Houston. Can you imagine these puppies and other puppies being born right now what their plight is?

We stopped in front of a house and when Katie started talking about Chocolate the dog, that they had spayed and returned to the family, a light-bulb went on, well 2 of them.

This was the house of a dog that I photographed under a pick-up truck last December when we were in Houston. She was too shy to come out then, but now she was happy to visit with us. In another moment I realized that we were at the same spot where we came with Forgotten Dogs of the Fifth Ward to feed Mr. Woolsworth! It became very familiar when the toddler puppies came running out to say hello. So we were back at the house of a family who seems to have too many dogs to handle.

The first step was to retrieve the brand new puppies which were laying in a pile underneath a dog house in the yard. There were 5 tiny puppies that Katie skillfully removed. They were only a few weeks old at best. When Anna realized that the puppies didn’t have teeth yet, she knew that they had to find their mama and take her with them as they were still nursing. The problem was that she had not come out to greet us and we couldn’t find her. In the meantime the toddler puppies were providing entertainment for all!

Thank you to our partner: www.jezwater.com for all their support!

This story is part of the collection from the WA2S Films: Celebrates American Stray Dogs Tour http://www.WA2S.org

Camera: Deanna Vollano

2nd Camera: John Robinson

Producer, Director, Editor: Tom McPhee

If you love Hope For Paws Dog Rescue Videos by Eldad Hagar, you'll love videos from #WA2SFilms & World Animal Awareness Society.

As it's been 5 months since our last Soi Dog Merchandise newsletter, I thought I would give you an update with what is happening in the Soi Dog shop.

For those of you who are new to our online store, it's very user-friendly and easy to navigate. A currency convert button is located underneath the shopping cart symbol at the top of every page where various currencies can be selected.

All items are shipped worldwide from the UK.

Merchandise is the perfect way to raise awareness and much needed funds at the same time. Why not treat yourself or a loved one to something special and show the word you care.

All profits from merchandise purchases go directly towards helping the sick, injured, abused and neglected dogs and cats of Thailand in Soi Dog's care.

NEW TO THE SOI DOG MERCHANDISE RANGE

These new additions to our jewellery range will make the perfect gift.

After the huge success of our Silver Trio Bracelets, we decided to add a splash of colour to our signature piece.

The Soi Dog "Trio of Bracelets" are all hand strung by Zen Sisters, with the highest quality materials using 925 Silver and Turquoise or Onyx Stone.

The perfect gift for a loved one, or a treat for yourself, the Trio bracelets let you show your support in style.

Please click here to order your own bracelet trio today.

CLASSIC TEES WITH A TWIST

We are taking our classic Soi Dog logo t-shirts and giving them a twist this Spring.

We've chosen a lovely raspberry colour for the ladyfit and a cool burgundy colour for the unisex style.

Why not join our ever growing army of supporters around the world to raise awareness and funds at the same time.

To get your own new style t-shirt, please click here.

COFFEE BREAK IN STYLE

These very popular tea/coffee mugs are now back in stock. Made of high quality ceramic with a white background and orange centre.

These "I Love Soi Dog" mugs will brighten anyone’s day whilst knowing you are also helping dogs and cats in need.

To order your mug today, please click here.

VIRTUAL GIFTS MAKE IT EASY

How about a virtual gift for dogs and cats in need?

It is not practical to send a bag of dog food or provide the shelter with Rabies vaccine.

That was until now!

You can choose how you would like to help and your donation will be used to improve the lives of dogs and cats being treated and living at the shelter.

It is only with your help that Soi Dog can bring relief to the neglected animals of Thailand. Please click here to find out more about our virtual gifts.