Ape Action Africa need help and they have come up with a scheme to enable anyone who can help and wants to help to Buy a Gorilla a Dinner!
The charity is passionate about great ape conservation in Cameroon. They are working to address the immediate threats that gorillas and chimps face in Africa. And they are working with communities to come up with some long-term solutions to ensure the gorillas can survive in the wild. We rescue orphaned and injured gorillas, chimpanzees and monkeys, and work hard to look after them thereafter.
Their problem is that because of the coronavirus, their sanctuary is shut to visitors. They have had to suspend their volunteer porgramme, their major fundraising events have been postponed, their income has fallen - and they still have to care for 280 rescued over 280 rescued gorillas, chimpanzees and monkeys.
World Veterinary Day has given us all the chance to celebrate the incredible contributions of vets to the health of animals and society. Vets know that the health of the environment, people and animals are linked. If there are negative changes to the environment, that affects us all.
On 25 April 2020, World Veterinary Day takes place. It’s a chance to celebrate the work of vets to protect our environment. There are things you can do here, whether you're a veterinary professional or a pet owner.
Thank you to everyone in the veterinary profession
A big thank you to everyone connected with veterinary practice, from the amazing veterinary nurses who are such a comfort to animals and their owners, to vets themselves who never know what their day will hold and what will come through the door on the end of a lead. Thank you to all those who work on reception who have to deal with some very stressful situations and phone calls. A huge thank you to all those involved in veterinary charities.
We have been well and truly blessed with the vets we have seen over the years, and we thank everyone who works to look after animals and their owners.
So on World Veterinary Day, here’s a chance to look at (veterinary) charities who work to improve animal welfare around the world:
Worldwide Veterinary Service The Worldwide Veterinary Service is dedicated to animal welfare. Whether sending vital aid parcels to organisations working in the poorest areas, delivering expert veterinary training to improve the standard of care worldwide or mobilising vets on the ground, the charity is committed to animal welfare. Take a look at some of the volunteer opportunities for vets and vet nurses!
Streetvet delivers free veterinary care to the homeless and their pets on the streets of a number of UK cities including London, Brighton, Southampton, Birmingham, Swansea, Lincoln, Peterborough, Reading, Bournemouth, Bristol, Cambridge, Plymouth, Glasgow, Gloucester, Swindon, Cornwall…. It’s expanding all the time!
Street Paws provides veterinary care and outreach for animals owned by homeless people in the North East, North West, Wales, Northern Ireland and Yorkshire. You can find where they are when on their website.
The Pet’s Dispensary for Sick Animals provides free veterinary care for those who qualify, and seeks to improve animal welfare by educating owners, preventing disease and carrying out life-saving operations.
As well as rescuing pets, the Blue Cross offers free veterinary services to pets for owners who qualify. They also run the Pet Bereavement Support Service for owners who are finding the loss of a pet difficult to cope with.
Pet Blood Bank UK is the only charity providing a canine blood bank service for all veterinary practitioners in the UK. Could your dog be a donor? Find out!
UK registered charity SNIP International is dedicated to improving standards of animal welfare around the world. In particular SNIP International promotes neutering programmes aimed at stray and feral animals.
The Brooke help with veterinary treatment for working animals around the world; it educates owners and helps to improve veterinary care. It employs over 150 vets, and over 6,000 vets, paravets and other healthcare professionals work with the Brook through its partners or in training. Vet teams have a good understanding of how working animals and their owners work in the local areas they are in, and of the challenges they face.
SPANA work in a number of countries around the world, providing free veterinary care, community and professional training in animal welfare, and teaching animal welfare education. Like the Brooke, SPANA focusing its efforts on working animals.
The AHW is a veterinary and scientific research charity dedicated to the health and welfare of your animal. But the things they research and discover improve the lives of animals around the world.
SCAS was established in 1979 to promote the study of human-companion animal interactions and raise awareness of the importance of pets in society. They have a lot of information on the animal-human bond, pets and housing, animal-assisted interventions and pets and mental health. It’s a wonderful charity with a different angle to most. Do take a look.
The RSPCA Cymru has called to keep sky lanterns on the ground as we all #clapforourcarers.
I think it’s wonderful that we are all applauding the NHS staff and I am sure many of us are including everybody else who is keeping us safe at that time and who is doing the essential work society needs doing.
But the RSPCA emailed today to say there are reports which suggests that companies selling sky lanterns have suggested releasing these devices as part of the #clapforourcarers proceedings.
RSPCA Cymru has urged us all to keep these sky lanterns on the ground.
Sky lanterns (also known as Chinese lanterns) pose significant risk to people and animals and the countryside.
Two very good reasons NOT to use sky lanterns
First, sky lanterns/Chinese lanterns can kill
Sky lanterns are lifted into the air through an open flame heat source. These can be ingested by animals who may think they are food. Sharp parts of the lantern can tear and puncture and animal’s throat or stomach and cause internal bleeding.
Wildlife, pets, horses and farm animals can all suffer terrible injury, stress and even death as a result.
Fire destroys habitats. Goodness knows we are short enough of these as more land is turned over to human use. Fire can destroy wildlife habitats/homes. It can set fire to animal housing, set food and bedding alight.
This can also cause death to animals; it can destroy essential supplies for animals at a time when a lot of us are finding life hard enough as it is financially. It could even cause death to firefighters, who are under enough of a strain at the moment.
I don't know what it's like where you are, but here in Sussex we have had very little rain this month. . The ground is bone dry in a lot of places and with windy weather, the risk of a fire spreading fast increases.
This will destroy life, habitats, property and put a huge strain on emergency services.
Wales’ 22 local authoirites have banned the release of sky lanterns on land and they have done that for a very good reason.
The Marine Conservation Society has a campaign to ban sky lanterns and balloons as well because of the same sort of damage they cause wildlife and marine life in the sea and on shore.
Dr Julia Wrathall, the RSPCA's chief scientific officer, said: "It is great that people are looking for ways to show their support for the NHS staff and other key workers at this challenging time - but it is so important people keep sky lanterns grounded.
"Lanterns may look pretty - but they're actually just pretty dangerous. They can be fatal to animals; destroying habitats, or posing a risk of ingestion, entanglement of entrapment as they return back to Earth.
"Every single local authority in Wales has already banned sky lanterns from being released on their land - highlighting just how dangerous these devices are considered to be.
A final thought...
If there’s one thing we must all do at the moment it’s to really think about our actions and consider their implications. Staying at home reduces the risk to everybody, unless it is absolutely essential that we go out. Reducing the possibility of more death and destruction at a time when people have enough to worry about is another.
Please keep safe, everyone. And let’s all #clapforthecarers and give them thanks. They care for people because they want to preserve life and help others. Setting off sky lanterns has the potentail to do completely the reverse.