Monday, February 21, 2011
New Washer & Dryer!
Michael Vick And The Real Story
Lately there has been a lot of Michael Vick in the news (last week he just cancelled his appearance on the Oprah Winfrey show). You remember him right? That loser who had it all going for him with the NFL career, major endorsements and millions of dollars going through his bank account each month? Well ya he pretty much took it all for granted and decided to open up his own dog fighting ring which operated under the name "Bad Newz Kennels".
Monday, February 14, 2011
Update From AKI & The USPCA..........
During Karen's January 2011 trip to Uganda, she was able to see another way in which AKI donors have had a direct impact on the lives of animals in poor countries. The USPCA Haven's kennels needed repairs, and the AKI donations that Karen brought with her were put to use right away to get the kennels back into good condition. Also, as many of you know, an AKI donor's monthly contribution supports the salary of one of the Haven's caretakers, Mary (in the photo, wearing a pink dress) -because of Mary, each dog and cat gets personal care each and every day. (including one of my fav's "Hope"!)
USPCA's Requests For Their Dogs & Cats |
1. The USPCA pays $33 to spay a dog or cat, and give a rabies vaccination. Your donation of $33 will spay one dog or cat and provide one rabies vaccination; your donation of $330 will spay ten dogs or cats and provide ten rabies vaccinations. We are targeting females since our funds are low and with one vet whose services are already spread thinly, we have to maximize our investment. 2. You can also donate funds for general veterinary care. For example, the USPCA would like to organize regular clinics in slum areas where any animal can get treated for diseases or injuries, and can be de- wormed and get a rabies vaccination. The cost of this general veterinary care would be about US$8 for each animal treated. 3. The USPCA is trying to convince people not to keep their dogs in small boxes, and for willing owners, is providing an alternative—a running line. For US $7 the USPCA can buy the material for and install a running line. 4. You can sponsor a USPCA kennel and provide support to feed the dogs at The Haven. Usually, a kennel holds about six dogs. Supporting one kennel for two months costs about $200. At your request, the USPCA will send pictures of the dogs that occupy your sponsored kennel space. 5. You can support the USPCA by donating rent for one month. The USPCA has to pay US $400 for rent of The Haven premises. Any donations are greatly appreciated, especially given the high cost of rent and the salaries the USPCA now has to pay to keep The Haven operating. Please support the USPCA and Animal-Kind International in any way that you can. They truly are an incredible organization that runs with no overhead whatsoever. Every penny that you donate goes directly to the shelters in need and helps countless animals get a second chance at life! xoxoxox Nicole |
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Pretoma Wins Changemakers Online Competition! WOO HOO
Ashoka's Changemakers, with support from National Geographic and the Inter- American Development Bank (IADB), announced yesterday that PRETOMA's Development of economic partnerships between artisanal fisher folk and tourism operators entry was one of the three winners in the Places On The Edge- Saving Coastal And Freshwater Destinations Online competition. The project is developing environmental, economic, and social benefits in coastal communities located along the southwestern Nicoya Peninsula, Guanacaste through the application of sustainable fishing practices. "It's exciting to highlight these fisher folk as leaders in the field, working on innovative solutions that protect the environment and strengthen the heritage and livelihoods of their communities", said project designer Andy Bystrom, emphasizing that, "PRETOMA thanks all of the people who took the time to vote for the project; we are truly grateful for your support".
250 entries from 54 countries around the world participated in the competition. Among the 12 finalists was Costa Rica's Corcovado Foundation and its Building the Osa travelers' philanthropy fund entry. While not selected as a winner, the foundation's work to combine tourism with environmental conservation is an innovative initiative that also deserves recognition.
For more info please email: andy@pretoma.org and visit Pretoma's website HERE
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Footwear Manufacturer Arrested For Using Skins Of Endangered Animals
Gomez’s arrest was solicited by the National Council of Protected Areas (CONAP) last week based on several complaints filed by residents regarding his fabrication and sale of footware using pelts of endangered animals. On arrival at Gomez’s shop, Botas G, investigators found one pair of boots made out of jaguar, 2 made out of boa constrictor, and one each made of crocodile and caiman. These boots can come to cost close to US$2,000. Gomez was retained under Guatemalan wildlife trafficking laws which stipulates a sentence of 10 years in jail. According to Kurt Duchez of CONAP, there are at least 10 other footware businesses in Guatemala that use skins of protected wildlife.
Lets hope this served as a wake up call for all those involved in the killing and trafficking of wild and endangered animals. To think of a precious, nearly extinct jaguar being murdered and mutilated for a stupid, useless pair of boots just makes my stomach sick. I really hope the Guatemalan authorities take this crime very very seriously and does all it can to keep this criminal in jail and send a strong message to everyone reiterating the importance of wildlife conservation!
xoxo
Nicole
News is courtesy of ARCAS Guatemala
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
A Big Cat And A HUGE Toothbrush!!
After watching Bella rolling around on the ground and along the fence for a good scratch, volunteer Nick decided that a stiff bristled broom might be just the job to help her with those ‘hard to reach’ spots. Nick has been working on carnivore enrichment alongside animal carer Gabi (pictured below), and the broom was definitely this week’s highlight. However Bella had other ideas on exactly how she should use her new toy – as a toothbrush! She played along for about an hour, growling and purring in satisfaction, with a little rest in between.
If you’re interested in volunteering as part of the animal care team at Lilongwe Wildlife Centre, please email lilongwewildlife@gmail.com
To learn more about Bella and how she was rescued, please visit Born Free Foundation’s website here. They are such a wonderful organization that is constanly trying to improve the lives of animals and wildlife around the world!