Finally, I want to thank her for my fabulous birthday card relating to Badgers – we are both Badger people; doing our best to speak up for and look after this iconic chunk of British wildlife. I have scanned in the basic card here for you to see, but on the real card all the heads and other wildlife move – super cool !
My super cool Badger birthday card from Pauline:
Singing Robin:
Above – Adult Herons with baby – see below.
Below – Dunnock.
Below – Heron gathers fish to feed its baby.
Below – Lapwing and Shovelar Duck.
Below – Long Tailed Tit.
Below – Raindrops on the pond.
Below – Two Robins – a bit unusual to see 2 together.
Pauline’s dad has made friends with a little mouse – you can see him enjoying some scoff here:
Grey Squirrel.
.. and finally more Robin:
My garden Badger thinks they are all pictures to smile at: he comes round each night for some food treats.
Be good to wildlife no matter what shape and form it comes in – they are all there for a reason;
Stray dogs living in the toxic ruins of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster are suffering from genetic variation and irradiation, a new study has found. Depending on their proximity to the nuclear accident, the report showed that the canines exhibited varying degrees of irradiation, with those closest to Chernobyl 200 times more likely to bear traces of cesium-137, though this disparity did not preclude procreation between them.
One year of war in Ukraine: what has been done for animals?
24 February 2023
Djurskyddet Sverige
Written by Valentyna Vozna
Please click on any of the words in Purple to get more information – WAV.
A year ago we were counting at first the hours, then the days that it would take the Russian army to take over Kyiv. Today, we are still counting, and sadly it is already the one year anniversary of the war. Even though protracted war means more suffering for both people and animals, we would like to showcase the successes of our collective work to help the animals of Ukraine.
Today, we celebrate one year of tireless work of the international community, who did not hesitate to come to the rescue of animals a year ago; people from all over the world showed an unprecedented unity and willingness to make a contribution to someone else’s fight for freedom.
We also celebrate the hard work of all the animal volunteers who chose to stay in the country in order to take care of the animals, risking and often giving up their lives to help animals over the past year.
In the early days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Eurogroup for Animals and its members convened a Taskforce to help address the plight of Ukrainian companion animals. The members are still determined to help the animals in Ukraine, regardless of the effort and resources it requires.
Over the past year, the Taskforce members have had numerous meetings to share information and decide on their strategy. They developed a network of trusted partners, and implemented varied projects such as providing pet food to animals, including in the most dangerous zones. They have supported local veterinarians, animal shelters and clinics, sterilisation and vaccination projects, and sent generators and mobile clinics in order to help animals in Ukraine, as well as receiving refugees with pets in the EU, providing them with all the necessary assistance.
Djurskyddet Sverige launched a sterilisation project in Zhytomyr with the support of Animal Help ZT, sterilising and vaccinating animals of refugees and even animals brought by soldiers from front lines;
FOUR PAWS launched Kishka project – a sterilisation project aimed to sterilise 10,000 cats all over Ukraine; prepared a Shelter Adoption Program in the Ukrainian language; cooperated with USAVA in order to provide veterinary care for pets and strays; conducted sterilisation and vaccination against rabies project in 20 municipalities with a mobile clinic and a catching team; helped launch UPAW platform; helped rescue several bears and admitted them to their sanctuary Domazhyr, including from front lines such as Bakhmut;
IFAW partnered with Mykolaiv Red Cross and Nova Ukraine in order to provide food and veterinary care to animals; launched free vaccination, sterilisation and microchipping project called Protect your pet with USAVA; cooperated with Save Pets of Ukraine initiative, founded by the Ukrainian manufacturer of food for cats and dogs Kormotech, in order to provide food to shelters in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Lviv, Zhytomyr and Odesa regions; brought five big cat cubs rescued from the exotic pet trade in war-torn Ukraine to a permanent home;
Save the Dogs and Other Animals cooperated with 400 volunteers in Ukraine channelling food to abandoned animals; created an animal aid camp at Isaccea border point in Romania to assist refugees with pets;
Worldwide Vets carried out frontline animal sterilisations and treatments, provided horse food grants, rescued 9 lions from Odesa who now reside in America, and fundraised for a mobile clinic equipped to sterilise, vaccinate and treat cats and dogs;
The members have collectively supported UPAW by sending pet food and making financial donations.
The needs of animals in Ukraine today?
Food
Veterinary care, including rabies vaccinations
Sterilisation
The foremost need of animals today is access to food, which is especially acute in times of cold winter conditions in Ukraine. The Ukraine Taskforce members have been providing food to their partners in Ukraine, who then redistribute it to those most in need. The situation is the most challenging at the front lines: there are many abandoned animals left to fend for themselves. Increased numbers of free-roaming animals are driven by abandoned unsterilised animals, since sterilisation of owned animals has never been widely practised in Ukraine even before the war. It is impossible to count these animals, but we are talking about hundreds of thousands if not millions of animals in need of food.
We realise that, unfortunately, the provision of food to animals in Ukraine will be a never ending need, which is why the Taskforce also focuses on a more systemic approach: the sterilisation of both owned and free-roaming animals. This is the only way to humanely manage the population and reduce their suffering. The Taskforce members partner with local veterinarians, some of whom have mobile clinics on the ground, while others have their teams in Ukraine who sterilise animals.
We coordinate our efforts in order to cover as many regions as possible. Last, but not least, animals are in constant need of veterinary care. Many are injured on front lines during military activity, but also in car accidents in more peaceful areas.
What lessons can we draw from this year?
Animals are part of the family or have economic value for people. We saw thousands of pictures of Ukrainians evacuating with their animals. We know about thousands of stories of people who left their animals locked in their homes, expecting that the war would be over in just a few days and they would come back home; instead they found themselves having to re-enter dangerous zones days later in order to evacuate their pets. Meanwhile, people such as managers of animal shelters, animal guardians in zoos and farmers refused to evacuate even from the front lines if the animals could not be evacuated with them. Humans are bonded to their animals and this influences human evacuation behaviour.
Local communities were the first responders to the plight of animals in Ukraine. Whilst this will be the case in any disaster, the direct involvement of private persons is not always safe. Ideally volunteer activity on the ground should be coordinated by the government and the NGOs who have special procedures for animal rescue, evacuation or first aid. It can be dangerous for untrained people to try and manage animals under stress, as not all free-roaming animals are social. Volunteer activity by private individuals could be encouraged since they are the first responders on the ground, but they need to comply with the minimum safety procedures and they should not operate in silos.
There is a lack of coordination among international and local animal welfare NGOs involved in Ukraine. Everyone chooses their own way to support: directly helping individuals financially, investing into the reconstruction of veterinary clinics and shelters, or sending in-kind donations. Unfortunately, there is a lack of communication among all the stakeholders, which may lead to duplication of efforts and hamper the ability to reach those most in need. Eurogroup for Animals’ Ukraine Taskforce urges everyone involved in Ukraine to join us. We are happy to share information about our projects and our expertise.
The faster we reach our goal, the more dogs and cats we can save. With your help, the animals have a chance. They need you now.
It’s very important. Animals are dying without the X-ray machine.
If you help today, we can reach our goal and send an X-ray machine to our friends at Lucky Paws in Mongolia.
Fleur Dawes Communications Director In Defense of Animals
P.S. There’s no time to waste — we must reach our X-ray goal a.s.a.p.! It takes just a moment to donate, and your gift will have a huge impact where these animals need it most. Thank you for acting fast and giving whatever you can right now.
There is an animal overpopulation and neglect crisis happening in Mongolia. Animals are dumped in dumpsters and abandoned. Homeless animals are abused in the streets or hit by cars.
Each year around 750 dogs and cats die or live on with agonizing long-term effects after suffering injuries that require an X-ray to deliver a critical diagnosis. Mongolia is a primarily a rural developing country and there is only 1 veterinary X-ray machine available for 3 million people!
In the capital city of Ulaanbaatar, where over 500,000 cats and dogs live, there are only 15 veterinary clinics specialized in treating animal companions. But only one clinic in the entire city has an X-ray machine that can diagnose injuries and diseases!
Please do not let animals continue to die simply because they cannot be diagnosed for lack of equipment. We urgently need to raise $30,000 to buy an X-ray machine so that no more innocent dogs and cats die without diagnosis!
Every animal unlucky enough to suffer a painful broken bone deserves use of this simple yet life-giving apparatus. Please make this a reality today.
With your help today we can reach our goal to supply an X-ray to our partner, Lucky Paws in Mongolia.
Ex-head of animal rights group gets 2-year jail term for euthanizing 98 rescued dogs
A former chief of an animal rights organization was sentenced to two years behind bars Tuesday for euthanizing 98 rescued dogs under her group’s care due mainly to economic costs.
The Seoul Central District Court delivered the sentence against Park So-yeon, a former leader of Care, who was indicted on violations of the Animal Protection Act.
Park was accused of euthanizing 98 rescued dogs under the care of her organization between 2015 and 2018 to secure more space at its facilities and reduce the burden of medical costs needed to treat animals.
She was also charged with breaking into private animal farms in August 2018 and stealing five dogs worth some 1.3 million won ($1,025) in total.
Her wrongdoings were exposed by a former official of Care in 2019 and the case drew intense public ire at that time.
“Without seriously assessing the capacity of (Care’s) facilities, she immersed herself in animal rescue but put some of the rescued animals to death when the space became insufficient,” the court said.
Park had claimed her innocence, saying she rescued animals destined to be culled and euthanized about 10 percent of them in a humane manner without pain. (Yonhap)
Thank you for helping us expand our spay-neuter work to ensure happy lives for even more street dogs.
Work is underway at our Sterilization Center where we are refurbishing our Operating room and expanding our Pre and Post-Op room to accommodate a higher volume of surgeries each day.
At the start of this year, Animal Aid signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Udaipur Municipal Corporation giving Animal Aid the sole charge of running a city-wide CNVR (Capture, Neuter, Vaccinate, Return) program, ensuring humane treatment of the dogs and a scientific approach to managing the stray dog population. Animal Aid has also been given the charge of responding to reports of dog-biting and negative complaints about dogs, where we will work to educate the community, prevent cruelty to animals and do targeted spay and neuter in areas less welcoming of street dogs. This milestone will mean thousands more animals will receive the help they deserve, and it wouldn’t have been possible without your generous support!
This month we will be conducting a dog-population census which will help us set our monthly sterilization targets. Stay tuned!
Thank you so much–your help has made this exciting expansion possible.
Watch Eshan’s way of saying “I’m so happy to be alive!”
We received a call on our helpline about a dog who had been hit by a vehicle and was severely injured. From a distance we could see the enormous wound on his shoulder with muscles and skin ruptured and hanging from his leg. His pain must have been horrible.
Just click on ‘Watch on YouTube’ to view video:
We rushed him back to Animal Aid to prepare him for surgery to repair the wound and
stabilize him with fluids, antibiotics and painkillers. After surgery the remaining danger was infection, but luckily thanks to his general vitality, daily wound care and medicine, he started to heal beautifully.
If ever an animal seemed to say “thank you for saving me” it’s beautiful Eshan. Meet him now!
For 6 frightening days, Lilac’s recovery was very uncertain.
But suddenly she bloomed!
A little puppy had been injured and was laying motionless in the street when we found her. As our rescuers approached, they thought these might be her final breaths. But her eyes were wide open as they lifted her, and she whimpered. Her family of dogs and humans gathered around as we carried her to the ambulance. Some of them may have thought they were saying a final goodbye, but they would have been wrong.
In the hospital we discovered no fractures, although her condition was poor for the first few days because she couldn’t eat and would barely move. We suspected a spinal injury which needs carefully monitored quiet and rest.
But by Day 6, she decided she’d had quite enough quiet and rest, and her eager standing and eating proclaimed her intention to live! From forlorn and hovering on the edge of death to active! Alert! Playful and oh so alive. Meet Lilac now!
Woman-led legal organisation fights for animal rights in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe’s wildlife landscape is gifted with 350 species of mammals, more than 500 birds, and 131 fish species all of which adorn its environment, yet due to the increasing number of poaching cases, the wildlife is seriously threatened.
According to the Africa Wildlife Foundation (AWF), elephants, rhinos and other iconic African wildlife may be gone within our lifetime.
According to a United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development report, despite 15 percent of the land being protected, biodiversity is still at risk. The UNDP 2021 report also stated that approximately 7,000 species of animals and plants are traded illegally.
“Wildlife crime is now rampant in most Southern African countries,” says Ever Chinoda International Animal Law Advocate and founder of Speak Out for Animals Trust (SOFA), an organisation of young passionate lawyers who are committed to combating wildlife crime, using the legal system.
The female-led SOFA is one of Zimbabwe’s leading animal conservation organisations that has for years been striving to promote Animal Law awareness in a bid to achieve protection of animals, raising awareness for the preservation and value of flora and fauna guided by the laws that protect them.
“Our mission as Speak Out for Animals is to influence the human mindset and inspire behavioural change towards animal protection and preservation laws in Zimbabwe.
“Appreciation of Animal Law is not widespread in our country and in Africa, hence the work we do is pivotal in changing this narrative,” says Chinoda.
Founded in 2017, SOFA through case monitoring, legal awareness training, projects linked to animal law, educating students through student chapters and legal literature development has immensely contributed to sustainable protection and the better handling of wildlife crime cases in Zimbabwe.
“We conduct monitoring of animal (domestic and wildlife) cases in courts across Zimbabwe’s 10 provinces. This entails watching in brief and advising relevant stakeholders on gathering of evidence, proper drafting of the charge sheet, ensuring that the accused is brought before the court within 48 hours arguments with a goal to attain a befitting sentence, thus rendering justice for animals. For the past three years, we have assisted over a hundred cases,” she says.
“Currently in Zimbabwe, there is no law school that offers animal law as a course for study and to cover the gap, SOFA conducts animal law training for law students, practising lawyers, prosecutors and judicial officers to equip them with knowledge in animal law. We have also introduced wildlife law as a module at the University of Zimbabwe and the Great Zimbabwe University where I’m lecturing with the hope of catching future magistrates and prosecutors whilst they are still practising,” Chinoda said.
The law is an essential mechanism for protecting animals and many times loopholes in it are used against them. For years, SOFA has also been advocating for the reform of Zimbabwean wildlife laws to align them with international treaties to which the country is party to.
“Through our lobbying efforts, the wild dog was listed as a specially-protected animal for the first time through Statutory Instrument 71 and 72 of 2020. We have also successfully managed to lobby for the change of classification of the painted dog / wolf-dog from problem animal to endangered with the aid of organisations like Painted Dog Conservation.
“Going forward, we are aiming for the creation of an Environmental-Wildlife Court, a development we see as imperative if the conservation of flora and fauna in Zimbabwe is to be attainable,” she added.
This article is reproduced here as part of the African Conservation Journalism Programme, funded in Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe by USAID’s VukaNow: Activity. Implemented by the international conservation organization Space for Giants, it aims to expand the reach of conservation and environmental journalism in Africa, and bring more African voices into the international conservation debate. Written articles from the Mozambican and Angolan cohorts are translated from Portuguese.
New report explains urgent need to protect animals in disasters
31 January 2023
Russia’s war in Ukraine in 2022 caused a myriad of challenges worldwide, but it also provided valuable lessons by highlighting what is missing for animals in the event of a disaster. Today, animals are not legally protected in disasters at EU level, although they play a vital role in people’s lives for economic and health reason
Animals in disasters: the need for protection and coordination across Europe
The imperative of protecting animals in disasters is underpinned by the human-animal bond, which influences human evacuation behaviour, the emotional support animals provide to people, the potential public health risks that disruption of health protocols can bring, and often the economic value of animals to humans. And as a result of the Ukrainian refugees crisis in 2022 by people’s willingness to save their animals in disasters. However, there is still little recognition among policymakers and humanitarian actors of the role that animals play in human life and in rebuilding communities after disaster.
Our new report suggests that the basis for the protection of animals in disasters is their legal inclusion in EU disaster law. It also outlines various actions that could be implemented by the EU and its Member States to better address the plight of animals in such circumstances. These include aligning efforts for people in disasters with those for animals, including animal welfare actors in a coordinated joint coordinated capacity during the disaster response phase, developing national disaster management plans involving animal experts, and establishing animal-friendly refugee camps in the EU, among many other initiatives.
The experience of Ukrainian refugees bringing their companion animals with them has shown how much these animals are part of their families. Today, the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) is responsible for humanitarian assistance and civil protection in the European Union. Its main instrument – Union Civil Protection Mechanism – recognises in its recitals the need to “reduce the vulnerability of animal welfare and wildlife” as part of disaster risk prevention and management, but there is no obligation to cover animals in terms of protection. Recognising the vital role these animals play in people’s lives could provide a legal basis for DG ECHO to extend its protection efforts to companion animals as family members. Other categories of animals should also benefit from legal protection in the event of a disaster, the legal grounds for which should be examined.
While achieving protection for all species in disasters remains a long term goal, the immediate solution lies in the legal inclusion of animals into disaster law in the EU with the aim of involving animal welfare actors in the development of disaster management plans, and in a coordinated disaster response mechanism in the EU. There is great potential for the EU, Member States and NGOs to work together to be better prepared for disasters in the long term.
We’re gearing up foran amazing year ahead for animals, thanks to your incredible support.
A major area of focus is staff training and development. To this end, we have recently hired and begun training 10 new veterinary assistants to join our medical team. From dressing wounds, to giving medication, to helping with feeding, they will help make sure that animals get all the care they need to recover as quickly as possible.
We reach higher every year because the animals deserve it, and your support has made so many dreams come true.
Do you know someone passionate about animal protection who’s ready for a new life adventure?
Animal Aid is NOW HIRING!
Click here for detailed information about a variety of open positions for Indian Nationals and International applicants both, from Veterinarian to Volunteer Coordinator to Videographer!
Apollo’s jaw was broken, but not his spirit!
With his jaw broken in two, this beautiful boy seemed to plead to his rescuers to help him. He couldn’t close or move his jaw, and his face showed utter bewilderment. But he shyly turned on his back in an act of pure submission, his tail wagging as if asking for help to stop the pain.
When we sedated him and saw the full extent of the fractures in his jaw, we were worried we might not be able to save him. But we tried our best. And to our delight, he responded extremely well to the sutures, and by his third day was ready to start slurping up his liquid diet.
From that moment, we knew the incredibly sweet Apollo was going to thrive!
The family who feeds him hadn’t seen him for days andthought he was never coming home again.We can only imagine the difficulty he had making his journey home–perhaps from a great distance, and in excruciating pain and confusion. He must have used every ounce of his remaining strength just to make it home.
When we rescued him, he was too weak to resist, and he quietly endured the removal of maggots infesting his wound despite the pain he must have been in. But as he healed, his eyes and entire face transformed. He always had a few words for us during the weeks of wound dressings that followed, but this was a good sign. It meant he was strong enough to fight for his life. He was also strong enough to start demanding cuddles!
Heal a life-threatening wound for a life-loving sweetheart.Please donate today
From around the world, volunteers are bringing love to their beloved animals.
From Handicapped Heaven, to the Rehabilitation area, to Oldies and up to Peace Place and Sanctuary, everywhere we look we see animals basking in the love and attentionshowered on them from volunteers from around the world!
Over there brushing a calf we see Dharmada, who has volunteered many times and especially loves spending time with the cows; over here we see Robin at work with an elderly dog in her arms; and busily refilling water bowls, sweeping, and stopping frequently for a cuddle is Sarah.
In the Rehabilitation area we see Teresa massaging the shoulders of a road accident survivor; here too is Kitty whose multiple volunteering weeks have brought her loving hands to once again massage the hind limbs of paralysed dogs on a chilly morning.
And there are first-time-but-not-final-time volunteers Jane and Melanie, who “hit the ground running” with gentle grace and so much loving kindness for the animals.
No matter where you are on your life journey, having an up-to-date estate plan is essential. You may think estate planning is complex and expensive, but FreeWill’s online tool is free to use and guides you through the process with ease.
Planning your estate is one thoughtful action that puts you one step closer to achieving your goals, taking care of yourself, and finding peace of mind.
If you choose, FreeWill can help you pay it forward to street animals by naming AAU in your estate plan
Note: FreeWill’s self-help estate planning solutions are valid for the disposition of property located in the fifty states and DC. Will-makers residing outside of the United States should consult with a local lawyer before using FreeWill’s tools.
Saving the life of a street animallooks good on you.
100% of the proceeds go to our street animal rescues
World Animals Voice 