Koko the Gorilla Meets Robin William - Touching and insightful video!

Koko is extremely proficient in (human) sign language. 'Carers for the world's most intelligent gorilla claim she was 'close to tears' following news of Robin Williams' death - 13 years after video captured the two becoming fast friends." Story here.


Who says other animals, other than human animals, don't feel emotion?!

The Inspiring Story of Tiny Belle (video). She suffered 12 Years in a Puppy Mill

But now she lives in a loving forever home, has learned that life can be full of kindness and adventure. Ten minute video (accompanied with beautiful music) to make you cry with joy.

200 Horses Rescued From Horrible Abuse, Now Living a Happy Life (video)

Many of the horses seen here, were rescued from the horror of the HRT industry, kept pregnant and in tiny stalls, before usually being shipped off to slaughterhouses for pet food. The HRT industry uses these horses for their pregnant horse urine to create drugs for women with menopause. Basically, these HRT industry horses are kept in the horse equivalent of battery hens, or factory farmed pigs.

Duchess Sanctuary—operated by The Fund for Animals in partnership with The HSUS—is a 1,120-acre facility located outside of Oakland, Ore., that was established in 2008 as an oasis for about 200 formerly abused, abandoned, neglected, and homeless horses.



Below are several photographs showing the abuse poor horses, used to produce menopause drugs, suffer. These horses also have every foal they give birth to, taken away and sent to a slaughterhouse; just like dairy cows who have every baby calf they give birth to, taken away from their grieving mother within hours of birth, their tiny babies sent off to be slaughtered for veal/profit).

Pesticides killing bees, killing off birds too!

The bee-harming pesticides are worse than we imagined. Research suggests that neonicotinoids aren’t just decimating bee colonies -- they’re hurting birds too. Researchers found that in areas with high concentrations of neonicotinoids, bird populations declined every year. This means our worst fears are coming true -- neonicotinoids may be moving up the food chain and killing our birds and our bees.

(This post is courtesy of SumofUs.org)

For the sake of the birds, the bees, and the whole food chain, we are challenging one of the biggest neonicotinoids producers of them all: Bayer. In two weeks, we’re going straight to Bayer’s door with our massive petition -- and we hope to have your name in our massive petition box. Please sign and share this vital petition here.

It's not just the bees anymore. Neonicotinoids are killing our birds too. It’s time to get Bayer to stop producing these chemicals.

We already knew that bees, insects, and small creatures that consume neonics are facing a decline in population. But the researchers are suggesting that Bayer’s neonicotinoids are even more harmful: Birds that eat food that consumed neonics are dying too.

The researchers searched extensively for any other outside cause that could account for the declines: urbanization, other environmental factors, land use changes. They couldn't find one. The only plausible explanation? Bee-harming neonicotinoids.

As expected, Bayer is trying to write off this scientific study. Why? Because for companies like Bayer, profits trump saving our food chain. By speaking up, we're changing the equation for these companies and making sure they protect the bees.

Here’s the scary part about all this: until more research is done, there's no way to tell how far up the food chain neonics can reach.

Thanks to all of us, we've convinced major American retailers Home Depot and Lowe's to stop stocking neonics. And we've pooled our resources to challenge Bayer's lawsuit against the EU for banning this chemical -- over a million of us have spoken out against the lawsuit. We've made a lot of progress together, but we're far from done.

We are going straight to their headquarters to deliver our message for Bayer to save the birds and the bees. Will you add your name to the petition?

More information:

Not just bees: Controversial pesticide linked to decline in birds, Wired, July 9, 2014
Neonicotinoids linked to recent fall in farmland bird numbers, The Guardian, July 9, 2014

Cora's Pet Project: Healing South Africa, one animal at a time

A moving story about an amazing, courageous woman who works tirelessly to help animals, and people in need, in South Africa.

Cora Bailey ventures into some of South Africa’s most deprived townships to treat people’s animals, but she also has to confront the even more urgent needs of their owners.

“There’s hardly a day goes by when you don’t see some kind of suffering,” she tells Dateline's Amos Roberts. “Sometimes you see suffering that’s almost indescribable.”

In the tough townships where she works, people can’t afford animal care, but she just can’t say no to treating the ill, injured and abused animals that come her way.

Cora’s work started 25 years ago, after she became frustrated by the lack of concern for animal welfare in the townships.

“I had to raise the money myself and it was all at my own risk and there was a lot of negativity about it,” she says.

Now, her Community Led Animal Welfare (CLAW) clinic is backed by an animal charity.

But violence is still a daily reality that she’s witnessed firsthand – the area where she works has one of the highest murder rates in the province.

And that divide between rich and poor in modern South Africa angers her.

“Political freedom hasn’t put food on the table for everyone, political freedom hasn’t meant decent housing or sanitation,” she says.

“I can be in the townships for weeks on end, going daily and never see another white. Sometimes just a bus with tourists and they are all foreign and what a shame that is.”

“We South Africans aren’t a bad lot and I think a lot more people would do things if they got over their fear - you know people in this country fear each other.”

Story By Amos Roberts. Aired on Channel SBS One Tuesday, May 19, 2015 - 21:30 . You can view the video of this story - duration 25 minutes here. Definitely worth watching!

Beautiful footage of a mother whale and her calf

Goes to show, drones can be used for something positive. This video footage of a mama whale and her baby taken by a drone, is stunning.

Put an End to Killer Whale Shows at Seaworld!

Killer whales are beautiful and incredibly intelligent animals that deserve so much more. Whales in captivity are subjected to conditions that are not only unnatural but also cruel. They spend their day swimming around a concrete pool when whales in the wild often swim 100 miles a day. It is a known fact that animals in captivity used for performing are subject to depression, frustration, and lack of energy. Often times whales are seen floating at the surface for hours on end which would never happen in the open ocean. Though SeaWorld has denied it, there is footage describing how they have separated mothers and calves which sadly only adds to their whales' depression. Roughly 95% of killer whales in captivity experience collapsed dorsal fins while this only occurs in 1% of orcas in the wild.
Orcas have highly developed brains which allows them to have strong family bonds and heightened emotions. Captivity deprives them of so much and their quality of life is at an extreme low which too often results in aggression.
These are just a few reasons why I strongly urge you to help me give killer whales the life and freedom that they so greatly deserve.


Update #1 May 28, 2015
SeaWorld is continuing their efforts to increase ticket sales and so far they have been successful. After the release of Blackfish, attendance declined as audiences realized that keeping whales in captivity for entertainment is wrong. However with their new commercial drawing people back in, now is the time to act and put a stop to this.

Petition Author: Jenna Riddensdale

Please sign and share this petition.