top of page
  • Writer's pictureDon Lichterman

Jungle Animal Rescue, Healing Hearts Rescue, Save The Chimps, Ocho, Lenci, more @Rescue TV Last Week

The SAN Rescue Network, Wildlife Aid TV, Official PETA TV, Flying Fur Animal Rescue, Animals Asia, ASPCA, Hope For PAWS, Beagle Freedom Project...

Watch a rescue up-close in tonight's episode, "Operation Elephant" as Wildlife SOS teams save begging elephant Kalpana from the streets, a paralyzed monkey, and a deadly venomous cobra in a school classroom.

Tune in every Saturday night for nail-biting episodes filled with excitement, and a few special elephant friends you're sure to recognize. Please check your local TV listings because date and times may vary.

From Nat Geo WILD - "A land of elephants, tigers, leopards and bears, India is one of the most biodiverse countries on earth. But it's also home to 1.3 billion people who increasingly compete with wild animals for living space. Now, a dedicated team of conservationists and vets are on a mission to rescue animals in distress and find a way for India's people and wildlife to coexist in harmony.”  LEARN MORE


I wanted you to be the first to know — a legal fight that started in 2018 has come to a just end. In conjunction with law enforcement officials, Farm Sanctuary, and additional rescue partners, we rescued 113 animals from multiple illegal backyard slaughter operations in Fort Myers, Florida. An undercover investigation by a Florida-based animal rights group exposed shocking animal cruelty at these facilities.


This victory not only saved many animals from suffering at the hands of inhumane, illegal slaughter operations but also showed how much impact a private citizen can have.We represented a neighbor who runs a produce stand near the backyard slaughter operations — her customers would cry when hearing gunshots and squeals emanating from the properties next door. These backyard slaughter operations cruelly butchered animals and endangered public health by illegally slaughtering the animals,including pigs, goats, chickens and horses,in filthy conditions and then selling the meat for human consumption.This victory marks one of the first times in the country where a private citizen presented violations of animal cruelty and humane slaughter laws to demonstrate that animal abusers are a public nuisance. As a result, we were able to rescue all the farmed animals on the properties and the defendants are prohibited from slaughtering animals, selling live animals, and even possessing farmed animals.


Support from passionate donors makes victories like this possible.Since 1979, the Animal Legal Defense Fund has led the charge to win animals the legal protections they so desperately need — and deserve.Your support will assure that we can continue to take on cases like this that advance the interests of animals — and win!


As you can imagine, illegal slaughter operationsinflict extreme pain on animals before slaughtering and butchering them.This victory not only shut down multiple illegal slaughter operations and rescued over 100 animals, but also affirms the power that individual citizens (like you!) have to impact change — so stay vigilant.


Animals NEVER deserve abuse. And we will never stop fighting for them.Thank you again for all that you do for animals, we couldn’t achieve these victories without your support.

Only with your support, we will be able to bring them to their new home at our BEAR SANCTUARY Ninh Binh 🇻🇳. We want to provide them with special care and a natural environment as soon as possible!
At this time of year, returning tawny owls to their nest is quite a common activity for our rescuers... this particular rescue, however, proved quite different!
Lion Ivan-Asen at our FELIDA Big Cat Centre could not resist to play with and enjoy this delicious treat! We just can't stop watching him...pretty cute, don't you agree?

Lion Ivan-Asen at our FELIDA Big Cat Centre could not resist to play with and enjoy this delicious treat! We just can't stop watching him...pretty cute, don't you agree?

Healing Hearts Rescue
Bear and Vet Team Director Heidi Quine said:

“These two sweet bears have been through a lot and obviously need lots of care and love to rehabilitate them. They’ve spent two decades in terrible conditions and we’re just learning about the physical and emotional trauma they’ve suffered. We’re really happy that the farmer had a change of heart, one that is indicative of a broader change happening in the minority of people who contribute to this industry or still keep bears captive here in Vietnam. The industry is coming to an end here as public opinion changes and demand for this cruel product dries up.


“We’re so pleased to have Florence and Clara with us. It feels like the stars aligning as we only discovered after the rescue that it was International Nurses Day and Florence Nightingale’s 200th birthday. I can’t think of a more fitting tribute, during this time when we’re all being reminded of the incalculable value of care and kindness in action.” Please help give Florence and Clara a new life full of love and kindness. www.animalsasia.org/HealingHeartsRescue

Week two of Alice, James and Bân's quarantine

Two weeks ago we rescued Alice, James and Bân from an illegal bear bile farm. Donate now to help their rehabilitation: www.animalsasia.org/threebearsrescue This week all the bears have been making great progress. James and Alice are through to the third stage of our quarantine process and Bân is building her confidence slowly but surely. Bân has calmed right down this week and we're earning her trust, Alice is the most inquisitive and James just loves to play with water from the hose pipe! We can't wait to see what he makes of a pool once quarantine is over and he builds up to enclosure access. Stay tuned for future updates as we introduce more enrichment and get to know the three bears even better.

First Badger Cubs of 2020 Arrive at WAF!

With orphan season in full swing, it was only a matter of time before we saw our first badger cubs of 2020. Unfortunately however, most orphans arrive after suffering a tragic ordeal. Sadly for these youngsters, their mother had been tragically killed in an accident and it's now up to Simon and the fantastic team of volunteers, to raise them until they are old enough to be release back in to the wild as adults!

Terry wasn't going to give up on his friend Cayenne. Every day he'd venture out onto the island, look back, and urge Cayenne to join him.


Having spent her first fifteen years in a suspended cage, Cayenne didn't know what concrete was, never mind grass. It looked so soft, and strange.


Every once in a while she'd dart out onto the strange grass to get a treat but then run right back onto the concrete patio where she felt secure. But Terry was always there, urging her to explore. And little by little, Cayenne would go a little further out, and then head back in.

Until one day last summer, Terry had convinced Cayenne to walk a little ways out onto the grass. Then a little further. And Cayenne followed. Then a little ways further. And Cayenne followed. Until sure enough, Cayenne was all the way out to the platform, far from the concrete patio. Cayenne was out on the island, for the first time in seventeen years.

Overcoming fear is something we can all relate to. Fear of the unknown, fear of the future. But we can also relate to the need to rely on our friends. Sometimes they are the ones that carry us when we cannot carry our own fear.


We started our Board Match Challenge during a time of great fear and unknown. How long would the sanctuary be under lockdown protocols? Would the supply chain be disrupted? Could we count on our supporters at a time when we most needed them?


And you responded. A truly astonishing feat, as triumphant as Cayenne taking her small steps onto her island sanctuary. We could not be more humbled and grateful.


Kitten hides from us in the most unexpected place and almost fools us!

Eldad: Sunday, it was Mother's Day so today you can send all the moms you know a special, personalized, Hope For Paws card: https://www.hopeforpaws.org/cronut_th... (the system just asks for a minimum of a $1 donation - I really wanted to make it FREE, but we will have to work on fixing this system on our website and we will make it work by Father's Day). A cronut is a super delicious dessert and that's why we awarded this super sweet kitten with this name. She is so cute and if you will help her by sharing her video, we will find that special person to adopt her very soon. All you have to do is get the link to the video, and share it on your favorite social media network ;-) I am so happy the Deputy Sheriff knew to call Hope For Paws for help with this little kitten. I am glad that working together with the community there invited us into their yards during this #COVID19 pandemic and as usual, Loreta did an incredible job outrunning the kitten and getting him! We are of course always wearing gloves and masks to protect ourselves and others. We couldn't do this work without your support, so if you can, please make a small donation on our website and help us save more lives: https://www.HopeForPaws.org (but it's really better to go ahead and send a mother's day card through our blog on Cronut: https://www.hopeforpaws.org/blog ). Yesterday was a busy day for us with 9 new rescues (dogs, a cat, and a baby opossum) - we worked until 2 A.M, we were exhausted, but very happy to accomplish so much! Our friends at Let Them Be Little are fostering little Cronut, and if you would like to adopt her, please contact them at: http://www.ltblrescue.org Thank you so much for your support!

Orphan season has definitely started here at Wildlife Aid, and the rescues are flooding in! This tiny duckling was found by a member of the public after falling down a drain at the side of the road. Unfortunately, the mothers abandoned the scene shortly afterwards, but Lawrie and Simon were still on scene to try and help it to safety...

Happy anniversary, Lenci

Some say lion Lenci survived hell. For years he was caged in Safari Park Zoo Fier in Albania, known as “Europe’s Worst Zoo”, where he suffered tremendously. After he was pictured with a severe eye infection, giving him a ‘black eye’, Lenci became famous, and the public attention helped FOUR PAWS International set up a rescue mission for him and other wild animals from the zoo. Our veterinarians were able to save Lenci’s eye, but a nerve in his face was permanently damaged and left his face asymmetric. Lenci and the two other rescued lions, Bobby and Zhaku, desperately needed medical and specialized care, which FELIDA Big Cat Centre was able to provide.


For Lenci, the poor conditions in Albania had not only caused an eye infection, but also back problems so serious, they led to a herniated disc shortly after his arrival at FELIDA. Thanks to weeks of intensive care Lenci recovered. In addition to that, he had to be treated for two infected canines and a painful cyst in his jaw and nasal cavity, and a testicle which never descended from his abdominal cavity was removed. The long years in horrible circumstances left deep marks on Lenci, but thanks to intensive and specialised care he made a lot of improvements and he finally gets to enjoy life.


Today we celebrate welcoming him at FELIDA, which was exactly one year ago, on 9 May 2019! The team at FELIDA describes Lenci as a friendly, funny and active lion that loves to play with all kinds of enrichment and shows the world every morning with his impressive roar what a majestic animal he still is! Happy anniversary Lenci, we hope to enjoy your beautiful company for many more years to come

FOUR PAWS fights against rabies in Myanmar

Every 15 minutes one person dies from rabies worldwide. The rabies is 100% fatal, but also 100% vaccine-preventable disease. FOUR PAWS supports Myanmar’s goal - zero rabies deaths by 2030 with vaccination of 1 million animals against rabies.

Wildlife Aid goes LIVE! Rescue update and tell us how you're coping with lockdown!
I wanted to take a moment to update you on Lovey's progress.

From confinement in a small damp cage to freedom in a beautiful green dog run, Lovey is loving her life at Hope Animal Sanctuary. Just look at her transformation!

Lovey is a sweet girl, and it is heartbreaking to think that someone locked her in a cage and tossed her on the side of the road. Abandoned. Scared. Hungry. Suffering. Never again, Lovey.

The Difference Between a True Animal Sanctuary and a Sham Sanctuary

So many places with wild animals take advantage of YOUR compassion by claiming they’re animal “sanctuaries.” But sham sanctuaries only care about exploiting them for money

If graphic images upset you, please don’t scroll any further. The image of Ocho the cat above is the least graphic one we have to show what this gentle, sweet cat has endured. We are urgently appealing for your help to fund Ocho’s care and rehabilitation, and to keep resources in place to rescue other animals suffering from unspeakable abuse. Put simply, we need you. It breaks our heart to imagine that Ocho’s friendly personality may have led to his gruesome torture. Some barbaric human had deliberately picked up this innocent stray, then wrapped a thick rubber band around his tiny body so tightly there was no way Ocho could chew it off. Then they simply walked away, leaving the band to burrow deeper into Ocho’s flesh, Don. Day by agonizing day. Please help now. If you’re still considering how much you can give to help Ocho, there’s something else you should know about this precious friend.  The vet suspects that Ocho also has an upper respiratory tract infection and a liver problem.

But until his horrific wounds can fully heal, and the skin closes up, it’s too risky to treat.  And would you believe that, through it all, this tough tuxedo kitty never lost  his affection for humans? It’s true!

It’s also one of the things that will make giving to help Ocho feel so good today. He will really, really appreciate the love and urgent care you send him. Please feel free to help out now. Thank you so much for taking the time to read Ocho’s ‘before’ story, Don, and for having the courage to see how much he has suffered. We hope you will be part of his ‘after’ story today too. Your help now for Ocho’s continuing care and treatment will change his life forever. Thank you again, with all our hearts, for caring about animals the way you do.

Garden Netting leaves two birds needing Rescue!

Entanglements are a very common callout for us here at Wildlife Aid. Foxes, hedgehogs deer and many other species often find themselves stuck, but, in this case, it was two garden birds that had found themselves in need of rescue. These two birds - a great tit and sparrow - had become tangled in 'mist netting' - a very fine mesh used to keep animals away from plants - and were rushed into the centre for help. Luckily, Simon was on hand to assist, and set to work cutting the frightened birds free...

Volunteer with the Animal Rescue Team

One of the most commonly asked questions for our Animal Rescue Team is, “How can I volunteer?” Our team has—and relies on—a strong network of volunteers to help us make a real difference for animals in rescue and disaster relief work. We truly depend on them to help us get this important, lifesaving work done.

One of the most common mistakes prospective volunteers make is waiting until a natural or man-made disaster strikes to begin the application process and to begin proper training and preparation for becoming an Animal Rescue Team volunteer. Unfortunately, by then, it’s too late. If you want to volunteer, it’s important to apply before a disaster. If you get everything done early, you, like our many other volunteers, will be ready to deploy when animals need our help.

I can’t speak enough to the impact people feel from saving animals in need. If you want to make a difference, this is a way to do it. I encourage you to start your application today. With hurricane season on the horizon, our team will be ready to deploy at a moment’s notice - The Humane Society of the United States


bottom of page