Hi everyone,

I recently returned from a three-week trip to South Africa, where I visited several OAT supported projects. I covered a lot of miles, from the mountains of the Orange Free State to the coast of KwaZulu-Natal and then down to the Eastern Cape. Every stop reminded me why these projects are so close to our hearts. I was blown away by everyone I met and the incredible things they are doing for the animals in their care. As I saw so many projects and there is so much to say about each of them, I have decided to split this blog into 2 parts and I will post the second part next week.

SOUTH AFRICA – PART 1

Isindile Big Cat Sanctuary

My first stop was Isindile, a large scale wildlife sanctuary for rescued big cats located within a 570 hectare estate in the Orange Free State on the Lesotho border. It was founded by David and Ansa Gerber who were previously citrus farmers in the Eastern Cape before they decided to sell up their family business and dedicate their lives to the welfare of big cats rescued from exploitative captive environments.

At the moment 30 hectares of the estate consists of fenced enclosures for 19 rescued cats (13 lions and 6 tigers) and the rest is inhabited by springbok, wildebeest and other endemic wildlife living freely on the reserve.

OAT contributed towards the development of a new enclosure at Isindile specifically to accommodate Mir. Mir is a 4-year-old Siberian tiger who was rescued from a Ukrainian zoo (see pics below). We have also recently contributed to a new enclosure to accommodate 5 lion cubs rescued from Lebanon. They have been at Isindile since they were about 5 months old and now they are 16 months old and in need of more space!

I have seen a number of big cat enclosures during my previous sanctuary visits across Africa, and in my opinion, the Isindile ones are the best by far. That’s not because they’re the biggest, but more about the way they have been designed. They’re not squares or rectangles but irregular shapes that incorporate the hills and rocks of the natural landscape. This is much more interesting for the cats and enables them to look out over the land and catch glimpse of their fellow residents. Isindile could have easily created the enclosures on flatter ground and made life a lot easier for themselves (feeding time in the 4×4, up steep hills and down muddy banks, was pretty hairy!), but they put the welfare of the cats first. Every enclosure has shade, swimming and drinking ponds, and a concrete room with straw for when the weather turns.

I enjoyed meeting all the residents of Isindile, but one particular group really touched me…

3 legged lioness Bina and her two brothers Atlarela and Mtazamaji, were confiscated from a smallholding in Randfontein near the outskirts of Johannesburg in March 2023, by NSPCA. Bina used to share an enclosure at Isindile with her brothers but one day they attacked her. As a result she became very vulnerable and it was deemed too risky to keep them together thereafter. So Bina was moved to the enclosure next door. Fortunately they are still close friends and regularly meet through the fence to rub faces and say hello. So forgiving and so heartwarming to see.

It is clear for all to see that David and Ansa love and care for their animals deeply and the work they do fits directly into OAT’s sweet spot. I was very sad to leave after my relatively short visit but I went away with a warm feeling in my heart knowing that the big cats in their care could not have hoped for a better place to end up after the suffering of their earlier years. I definitely plan to return one day…

CROW (Centre for Rehabilitation of Wildlife)

My next stop was CROW a small wildlife rehabilitation facility in Kwa Zulu Natal. It is located next to a relatively small nature reserve called Steinbank and is literally a 10 minute walk from where my sister Sue and I grew up. It was established in 1977 and is the oldest wildlife rehab centre in South Africa,. Their motto is “the best cage is an empty cage” and we could not agree more. During Covid, a friend of ours brought their desperate online appeal to our attention and we immediately responded.

Everything they do is about treating injured and orphaned wildlife and returning them to the wild as soon as possible. In the last 12 months they have taken in 2,831 animals and released 845, and in the busy orphan season they deal with up to 16 rescues a day.

Sadly, around 90% of the injuries they deal with are from pellet guns, attacks by domestic animals, road accidents, window collisions, snares, and their homes being lost to building developments. The variety of species is incredible and includes mongooses, dassies, genets, jackals, vervet monkeys, bush babies, owls and sea birds, baboons, crocodiles and venomous snakes. They release animals at 33 sites between Zululand and the South Coast.

Cinderella Animal Rescue

Cinderella is a small project dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of dogs & cats in a specific area of Kwa Zulu Natal. The project was founded by Laurencia Scott and her family. Initially they were based in Verulumn operating from their home and their focus was on animals in need in their surrounding villages and towns. Ranging from stray street dogs in need of food, veterinary care and vaccinations, to working with dog owners in an attempt to persuade them to treat their animals better. Chained dogs and dogs who were not neutered in particular. They ran small vaccination clinics and general pop up vet centres in association and with help from local veterinary surgeries and from their humble home they rehabilitated traumatised dogs and cats and helped to find them new homes.

OAT provided Cinderella with some operational support in the early days and we were so impressed with their level of care and dedication that when they asked us to help them move to larger premises and build a more permanent rescue and rehabilitation facility, we were very happy to help. Today they have a wonderful facility in Umkomaas which is a semi rural area on the South Coast of Kwa Zulu Natal. I spent 3 days at the sanctuary with Laurencia, her family and of course the animals in their care at this time. They still help the dogs on the streets of Verulumn and continue their outreach in this area too.

It was such a pleasure spending time with some wonderfully happy dogs who lively in large open enclosures where they spend their days playing and socialising. We love this rescue facility as it is so different to the normal kennel set up you see at other rescue centres where we can’t help feeling that the dogs must become institutionalised, especially if they spend long periods of time there. Of course they have to separate some dogs to start off with, such as those who are antisocial and timid, but Cinderella manage this with patience and compassion which is wonderful to see.

They are such an amazing family and their kindness knows no boundaries. When I visited, they had 20 dogs, seven chickens, five ducks and well as one very cute baby goat and an African grey parrot. What struck me most was the heart and passion they have for every individual animal. Since relocating to Umkomaas they’ve rescued around 151 animals and found loving homes for 113 of them. It’s heart breaking to see the condition that some of these dogs arrive in, but its incredible to see how they transform with dedicated care and love.

Cinderella is a truly heartwarming project and one we are very proud to support.

That’s it for now! Part 2 to follow in a week or so’s time when I will tell you about the rest of the awesome projects I visited during my trip.

Bye for now – Dave

PS: If you would like to donate to any of these projects please do so via their websites – hyperlinks are in the blog 🙏

Sue Olsen here… I hope OATOKE fans won’t mind me hijacking Dave’s blog today but I simply have to share some of the highlights of my recent visit to Shamwari Private Reserve in South Africa. 

OAT are proud supporters of Shamwari’s wildlife rehabilitation work which ranges from dealing with injured and orphaned elephants, rhinos, giraffe, hippos and in fact any species that are brought to the centre for veterinary treatment, care, rehabilitation and rewilding. We took the opportunity to check in on other wildlife species currently in their care whilst we were there but this particular trip was primarily to learn about a new vulture programme which Shamwari is now operating in conjunction with Vulpro,

Interesting Observations…

I have to admit that I knew very little about vultures before our visit but having learnt so much more during my visit and having met them up close and personal, I can honestly say I have fallen for these beautiful birds. They are incredibly relaxed, kind natured and are very inclusive. For example, when new rescued birds are introduced into enclosures for the first time they are welcomed by the current residents with open arms, or should I say wings? Even when Vulpro’s expert carers venture into the enclosures to capture one or two of them at a time for their pre-release procedures, the remaining vultures show no signs of aggression at all. As we all know vultures feed off of carcasses which of course conjures up thoughts of rotting flesh and its associated smell, and in turn you would think this transferred to the birds. However, this is not the case at all and in fact vultures are incredibly clean birds who wash themselves after they have fished feeding. The rehabilitation enclosures all have swimming pools and the birds use them vigorously. These gentle birds also mate for life, so yet another endearing feature.

Endagered species

The bad news is that 7 of the 9 species of African vultures are now officially listed as either vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered. And, one of the remaining two, the Egyptian vulture, is listed as extinct as a breeding species. These statistics are tragic for the species itself but also for the ecosystem in which they play a critical part. The main factors contributing to their death and decline include collisions with power lines and wind turbines, poisoning from feeding on carcasses of farm animals treated with chemicals / drugs, and the perceived value of their body parts for traditional medicine. Poachers also poison the carcasses of wildlife they have killed for their horns / tusks etc as circling vultures is one of the key indicators that anti-poaching teams respond to when trying to locate crime scenes. Although Vulpro are continuously working on these issues, sadly none of these threats are going away anytime soon. Therefore, it’s important that attempts should be made to attend to as many injured birds as possible, so they can be rehabilitated and eventually released in order to maintain their numbers in the wild.

At Shamwari the veterinary and rehabilitation team retrieve and respond to all reports of injured vultures and take them through a staged rehabilitation process. When they are well enough, they are transferred to pre-release enclosures until they are ready to be released back into the wild. Released birds are tagged and fitted with solar powered transmitters so that their progress and survival can be monitored.

Jonathan (my husband and fellow trustee) and I were privileged to have been involved in the release of two such rehabilitated vultures during our visit. Such an amazing and emotional feeling.

Vultures that are severely injured, meaning they would not survive if released back into the wild, play a huge part in the conservation of the species in Vulpro’s project. They are placed in a large enclosure, meticulously customised specifically to allow for their disabilities and very good quality of life. They are free to find partners and embark on a natural breeding process and their captive bred youngsters are eventually released into the wild. This again helps with keeping vulture numbers up and thus contributes to fending off their extinction. Such a wonderful holistic project and one that OAT will certainly be supporting in the future.

Elephants

Stella and Amara came to Shamwari 6 years ago as orphaned baby elephants. Initially they required 24-hour care, including regular bottle feeding, intensive medical care and a huge amount of emotional support. In April this year we were thrilled to hear that they had entered the final stage of their rehabilitation and were successfully integrated into an existing wild herd within the expansive Shamwari reserve. They will continue to be monitored for some time to come under the expert guidance of Shamwari’s wildife team until everyone is sure that they are well and truly established and living wild once again.

Lions

During our visit, we also took the opportunity to check in on the resident lions at the Shamwari /Born Free centres. All of these lions are very dear to our hearts, especially those who OAT have been personally involved with. These big cats were all rescued from either zoos, circuses or private ownerships and now, thanks to the Born Free Foundation and Shamwari, they are living out their lives in their ancestral home. Sadly they need to remain in captivity as they simply wouldn’t survive in the wild because their lives have been so compromised. However, they are now in beautiful large enclosures, filled with natural enrichment and will receive 5 star care for the rest of their lives. It was particularly lovely to see some of the residents that OAT and friends of OAT have invested in over the years. 

Leopards

We were scheduled to see recently rescued leopards arrive at Shamwari but sadly, due to delays in their transportation, we missed them by a couple of days. However I am pleased to report that Alda (13) and her daughter Ginny (8) arrived safely and are now settling nicely in their new enclosure. They were both confiscated from an awful Polish exotic cat breeding centre and transferred to an interim sanctuary in Belgium, Naturehulpcentrum NHC, where they have spent a number of years being rehabilitated and awaiting their forever home. Born Free and Shamwari came to their rescue and were able to offer them a home back in Africa where they belong and OAT are very proud to have played a part in this rescue/ rehoming mission. We have committed to contributing to the costs of their lifetime care and we look forward to seeing how they progress over the coming years.

Below is a link to some lovely footage of the girls settling in at Shamwari:

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/quuwVcQtKyim5BSG/?mibextid=UalRPS

Thats all from me for now, no doubt the next blog will be from our OAT OKE again when he ventures off to visit more OAT supported projects later in the year.

Towards the end of January this year I went to India, to visit one of my favourite projects operated by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). This project is all about removing hard working animals from the streets of Delhi (specifically the street markets) where all kinds of animals are used to move goods and equipment around using a cart (see photo’s below). Ponies and donkeys are used to move smaller loads of materials such as fruit and veg and the larger animals such as bullocks, horses and water buffalos are used to move heavier loads such as bricks and concrete. Sadly, no matter what size the animals are, they are always carrying far too much weight resulting in them suffering from numerous ailments such as swollen knees, bruised backs and open skin wounds due to the way in which the harnesses are tied to them. And, on top of all of this, chronic arthritis is rife.

Harsh life on the streets

It was very upsetting for me to witness suffering to this degree. I tried to connect with some of the ponies and horses who had been left on the side of the road tied to their empty carts waiting for the next job, but they seemed dead behind their eyes, they had simply given up. They are worked very hard and a lot of the time in extremely hot conditions, they do not get sufficient rest time and are underfed with limited access to water. All of this results in untold suffering and many of them die at a young age. It was heart breaking to see so much suffering but this is where PETA is so amazing. In 2019 they came up with a solution to end this suffering which is when the Delhi Mechanisation Project was born.

PETA & Animal Rahat to the rescue

OAT have supported the work of PETA for a number of years, but this particular project pulled on our heart strings. In simplistic terms it incentivises the owners of working animals on the streets of Delhi to relinquish their working animals in return for the provision of mechanised e-rickshaws / electric Tuk Tuk’s. This is a much more efficient method for transporting goods and the animals get to retire to Animal Rahat, a local, purpose-built sanctuary supported by PETA. Owners can choose the type of Tuk Tuk i.e. a pick up truck version where they can continue to move materials around or, a taxi version enabling them to change their line of business and become taxi drivers.

I love the simplicity of this project as its a win-win situation for the animals and their owners and better still, the Delhi government are right behind the initiative ensuring that the suffering of working animals will continue to diminish.  The government are very happy to support this project as well as it means better hygiene for the city (less animal waste and potential for infectious diseases) and it also takes away the hazardous elements associated with animals / carts and cars all sharing the same roads.

Comforts of Sanctuary Life

I took time to visit the Animal Rahat sanctuary during my visit and this was a much more pleasurable part of my trip. It is a top quality sanctuary where the animals are able to live out their lives being treated with kindness, love and respect and in a peaceful, safe environment. They are provided with the necessary veterinary treatment and care and are given nourishing food, comfortable spaces in which to rest in the sun or shade and paddocks for grazing and socialising. On top of all of this they are provided with every comfort you can image – even lovely warm blankets for the colder days and nights.

The Future

To ensure the ongoing management and success of this project, a PETA representative visits the markets most days to monitor animal welfare in general and to look out for further rescue opportunities. They also keep a respectful eye on previous animals owners to ensure they do not revert to using animals. The latter has not happened as yet as tight contracts are drawn up at the time of the animal / vehicle trade.

Since this project was founded in 2019, PETA has rescued and retired 73 horses, 49 bullocks and 5 mules. There are many more animals in need of rescue but we are assured that all 12 sites covered by this mechanisation project in Delhi will soon be animal free.

Thank you’s…

Hopefully one day the unnecessary suffering of these animals will become a thing of the distant past. OAT are pleased to say that our close friends of Goodheart Animal Sanctuaries were as excited about this project as we were and in 2021 decided to co-fund a grant to kickstart the initiative.  Huge thank you to PETA, Animal Rahat, Delhi authorities and Goodheart Animal Sanctuaries for making this awesome project possible. We could not be more pleased and proud to support this life changing work.

Humane Society International

In February this year Humane Society International (HSI) invited me to attend the closing down of a dog meat farm on the outskirts of Seoul in South Korea. This was the 18th farm that HSI has managed to negotiate the closure of and it is their intention to continue to close more farms in the future. Their ultimate mission is to bring an end to this incredibly cruel and exploitative industry. I say negotiate as these closures are business deals. The owners agree to relinquish the dogs (their commodities) on the basis that HSI help them to set up alternative, humane businesses. HSI also make certain that contracts are signed to ensure that owners agree never to farm dogs or other animals again in the future and these agreements are legally binding, which ensures that they are adhered to.

HSI is a leading force for animal protection. Alongside their critical work to end factory farming of animals, they have a very active disaster relief response team and work around the globe to promote the human-animal bond and confront animal cruelty in all its forms including animal testing, trophy hunting and fur farming.  

We love everything HSI stand for and are incredibly proud to have been able to help some of their admirable work. We have already supported the closure of two dog meat farms and this closure of farm number 18 is the third. In total we have contributed to the rescue of almost 400 dogs and we are sure this is only the beginning of a longstanding relationship.   

Dog meat farm number 18…

Team work

This particular farm closure resulted in nearly 200 dogs and puppies being saved from certain death with most of them successfully relocated to the USA & Canada during the week long operation. Some heavily pregnant dogs and new mums with small pups stayed behind in safe boarding in South Korea until the pups are old enough to make the long flight. In the weeks leading up to the closure the dogs were taken care of by HSI/Korea representatives on the ground and much work was done to ensure they were vaccinated and fit enough to travel.

I was incredibly impressed with the professionalism of the entire operation and the level of expertise and compassion of the HSI team was nothing short of astounding. Quite a few of the rescue team came directly from the tragic earthquake Turkey had recently, they were helping rescue dogs and cats on the streets who had become separated from their owners. It was an honour and a pleasure to be a part of this operation and spend time with the inspiring team, which included the president of HSI Jeffrey Flocken.

Removing almost 200 dogs from their cramped, filthy and completely inadequate cages, where they had spent their entire lives, was a task I could not get my head around. Especially on the first day of my arrival at the farm when it was clear to see that most of the dogs display fear-based aggression and were petrified as they didn’t understand what was going on around them.

They had obviously witnessed the horrors of many of their fellow residents being slaughtered over the years and I couldn’t help wondering if they were contemplating what these new group of humans had in store for them now. I just wish we could have reassured them we were there to rescue them and ultimately save their lives.

Many of the dogs were born in the cages they lived in and had never been outside of them so watching the dogs being removed from cages all around them, hour after hour and day after day must have been terrifying. Their cages were all they knew and to them, they were their safe place. Although in real terms they were hell holes. Note that the straw in the cages above was an addition made by HSI during the preparation weeks. before there was no bedding at all. The cages were never cleaned so they were lying on their own impacted faeces and the smell in the air took your breath away. My visit was in winter so it was just above freezing in the mornings and rose to 10 degrees Celsius in the day, you can imagine how bad the smell and conditions must have been in the summer months…

Chickadee is a particular dog I had a huge soft spot for. She looked so very, very sad in her cage. I never witnessed this personally but I believe she had puppies that had to be taken away from her as she was attacking them when they went near her dry food.  The good and subsequent news is that I have since heard she is starting to flourish in rehab in the US and is making good progress.

Rescue & relocation begins…

On the Job

Obviously only experienced HSI dog handlers were hands on with the actual removal of the dogs from the cages and the rest of us played support roles such as feeding and watering the dogs, talking to them and trying to calm them down. There were 25 of us in the rescue team and our operation included removing the dogs from the cages, transferring them to their individual travel crates and loading them onto trucks that transported them to the airport where they were eventually loaded onto three cargo planes along with key HSI staff members.

Mission accomplished

By day four we were all exhausted but equally overjoyed by the fact that we had achieved the goal of getting the dogs onto the cargo planes and on their way to their new lives filled with love, respect and freedom.

On arrival in Canada and the USA they were health checked again before being sent out to one of HSI’s care and rehabilitation centres where the process of mental and physical rehabilitation is already underway.

The puppies who were too young to travel (plus a few adults who were simply too weak) are doing well and I was assured that those left behind will eventually make their way to a new life in the US or Canada as soon as they are strong enough to travel. In the meantime this small group are being cared for at a rehabilitation facility near Seoul.

A couple of the dogs stole my heart 💓

Chickadee was one (featured above), and Huckleberry was the other…

When Huckleberry arrived in the US an animal behavioural specialist (and vets) immediately paid special attention to her. She will no doubt continue to suffer the effects of her traumatic life for a while yet and she is still very anxious and shut down. However, she is now in a loving and caring environment and feels safe. The team will continue to support her until such time as she is ready to be considered for rehoming. 

Happy Ending

Here are a few pics showing you the HSI team at work with the dogs in Canada and the US.

Toughest trip yet…

I can honestly say this was the hardest project trip I have ever done for OAT, emotionally it was very testing and I found myself in tears on more than one occasion. However, seeing the empty cages before we left and now following the recovery of these beautiful forgiving souls makes it all worthwhile. Thank you HSI for the wonderful work you do in the world of animal welfare – we are so very proud to support you. ❤️🙏

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY BE INTERESTED PLEASE FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND VIDEOS BELOW:

• Currently it is legal to farm dogs for their meat in South Korea.
• In the 1960’s it is estimated that around 5 million dogs were on dog meat farms across the country. Today it is estimated that 1 million are left.
• HSI have rescued approx. 2,700 dogs since they started legally operating in country.
• Almost all dogs are bred and born in a cage on a dog meat farm. The only time they are removed is for slaughter.
• Dog meat is believed to have medicinal values. One belief is that dog meat actually cools the human body so during the summer months dog meat demand increases.
• Generally dog meat farmers sell dogs to traders or middle men, with an average (adult) dog being sold for around $150 – $250 (USD) depending on weight.
• The two main breed of dogs in the meat industry are ‘Tosas’ & ‘Jindo’ crosses, although all breeds of dogs can be found on dog meat farms including Labradors, Golden Retrievers and Huskies.
• HSI are currently also working on other dog meat campaigns in India, Indonesia, Vietnam & China.
• With help from supporters, HSI will continue to do their best to rescue as many dogs as possible. Please donate here if you would like to support their work.

Watch the videos below to experience some poignant moments from the rescue mission.

First here’s a short and very touching account of the trip put together by HSI…

Here Dave and Jeff Flocken help load the dogs so they can head off on the next step towards their happy forever homes…

It’s been almost a month since I returned from visiting Animals Asia in beautiful, but extremely hot, Vietnam. This was one of my favourite trips of all time! Jill Robinson (CEO & founder) is quite simply an amazing human being who has achieved so much since she started the organisation 20+ years ago. Together with her equally amazing team, they consistently deliver for animals in need on so many levels and always in the most efficient and respectful manner.

As many of you will know, bringing an end to bear bile farming in Asia is Animals Asia’s number one priority. This is a long process but they are in it for the long game and until the cruelty ends. In China, where bear bile farming is sadly still legal, Animals Asia currently provide sanctuary for 123 bears in their purpose built sanctuary in Chengdu.

In Vietnam however, further successes have been achieved. Animals Asia began operating in Vietnam in 1999 and as a result of years of campaigning, in 2017 the Vietnamese Government finally signed an MoU with Animals Asia to outlaw the practice. During this time period Animals Asia managed to rescue and provide sanctuary to approximately 200 bears who’s owners / farmers decided to stop bile farming and relinquish their bears. This sanctuary is located in the Tam Dao National Park which was my first stop on this recent trip and I was honoured to be accompanied by long standing patrons of Animals Asia, actors Peter Egan and Lesley Nicol (see pics later in the blog).

Tam Dao Bear Sanctuary

I was just as excited to see the rescued bears at Tam Dao on this occasion as I was on my previous visits. The bears are all so content and seem very relaxed and happy to have found what can only be described as bear retirement heaven (see photos below). Considering what these bears have been through in their previous lives, where they were exploited for their bile and kept in confined cages, you would think they would be angry and aggressive towards us, but they are not. As is the case with many rescued animals I have come across over the years, they are so forgiving. We could learn a thing or two from them…

New Bach Ma Bear Sanctuary

Our next stop was a short flight south to the city of Hue in central Vietnam to visit Bach Ma national park, a beautiful protected area covering 220 square kilometres. We were there to witness the start of a very exciting development for Animals Asia, as it is within this national park that they will build their 2nd bear sanctuary. This will ultimately accommodate circa 300 more bears who will need sanctuary over the next few years as the new law banning bear bile farming continues to be enforced. Animals Asia’s pledge in Vietnam is to “leave no bear behind”.

The local Government and community had arranged an amazing ceremony to celebrate the ground breaking occasion. This really touched my hearts as it demonstrated how proud and serious Vietnam is about ending this horrendously exploitative industry.

OAT are providing significant funding over the next three years to help enable the creation of this much needed second sanctuary and we could not be more proud. We love Animals Asia – everything they do and everything they represent in the world of compassion for animals.

It’s worth mentioning, that whilst the majority of bears residing in both sanctuaries were previously farmed for bile, a relatively small percentage ended up in sanctuary following their confiscation from circuses and illegal wildlife traders. Animals Asia are involved in many more aspects of animal welfare in Asia including domestic animals as well as other wildlife species including elephants…

Animals Asia and Elephants

Our next stop on this Vietnamese trip was to the province of Dak Lak located in the southern part of Vietnam in the central highlands. The national park here is called YoK Don at it is the only national park in Vietnam where wild elephants can be found and sadly there are now only +- 50 elephants left. There are many more elephants in Vietnam, but unfortunately they are being held captive in zoos, circuses and in elephant back riding camps.

Yok Don is the birth place of yet another awesome Animals Asia project that OAT is proud to support. It is the result of working collaboratively with the government to try and bring an end to the tourism based business of elephant back riding. Together with the local wildlife and tourism authorities, Animals Asia have devised an alternative, more ethical tourism based programme. In return for agreed compensation, elephant owners release their elephants to Animals Asia and enable them to be transferred to the Yok Don national park. Here the elephants live a much more natural life and are free to roam, graze and browse alongside fellow elephants in the programme. Being under the respectful supervision of mahouts (carers) employed by Animals Asia, makes it possible for small, organised groups of tourists to safely observe the elephants in their natural habitat.

See heartwarming pictures below showing elephants enjoying their new found freedom and a life worth living. Thank you Animals Asa from the bottom of or hearts for making this possible. Another “End Game” in the making here as it is Animals Asia’s and the governments intention to end elephant back riding in Vietnam in the future. We are so honoured to be a part of this project which is simply life changing for Vietnams captive elephant population.

A long blog this time I know, but so much to say about this truly awesome trip and the time I spent with the most inspiring animal welfare organisation – Animals Asia – and their wonderful staff and patrons. If you would like to join us in contributing towards their work, please chat to us or donate via their website.

Click here to donate to Animals Asia

My next trip will be to Zambia later this year but in the meantime, I will leave you now with something to think about……

If ever you are faced with an option to ride an elephant, please spare a moment to consider the life they lead. They have been taken from the wild as young babies, their spirits have been broken to enable them to be controlled and therefore safe to own and manage, and the torture doesn’t end there… When elephants are ridden, again for safety and control purposes, they are constantly kept in line with the use of bull hooks that inflict pain if they fail to conform. In addition to this, their bodies endure extreme stress and pain from years of carrying large wooden saddles designed for human comfort alone and, like all captive elephants, they suffer from long term physical and mental disorders. If like us, you love animals…..please don’t partake in activities that clearly involve their exploitation. Thank you 🙏

This is the last blog on my recent trip to Africa and it covers my time spent in Zimbabwe visiting the Tikki Hywood Foundation (THF).

It was great being back in Zimbabwe and spending time with Lisa Hywood, founder of THF, as well as her right hand woman Ellen. It’s been 4 years since my last visit and their wildlife rescue and rehabilitation work has gone from strength to strength.

For those of you who don’t know, THF is Africa’s leading expert in the rehabilitation of pangolins. In addition to rehabilitating and rewilding large numbers of them in Zimbabwe, they partner with 12 other African countries and provide critical advice on the intricacies of pangolin care and rehabilitation.

Pangolin are a critically endangered species and one of most trafficked wildlife species. The main reason for this trade is the supposed medicinal values of their scales in Chinese medicine, but they are also traded for their meat, which is considered a delicacy. To help combat this, THF very works closely with the Zimbabwean government on implementing new legislation to help protect them.

THF was founded on a small holding property a short distance from the capital city, Harare. It comprises of 60 hectares of pristine miombo woodland and over the 28 years of its existence has become a sanctuary for a variety of wildlife species and a small number of domestic animals too. All the animals which have found sanctuary there have been rescued from either the illegal wildlife trade or have become orphaned for a variety of reasons. Most animals arrive compromised and require intensive care to regain their health. Following expert rehabilitation programmes, some are able to return to their wildlife origins, but sadly some are too affected by their ordeals and remain in lifetime care.

OAT has been supporting THF’s work for a number of years and following my recent visit, we decided to extend another grant for further development of the sanctuary including extra onsite accommodation for the animal carers. See photos below of some of the resident animals I met when I was there, as well as some of their dedicated carers.

That about wraps up feedback from my Africa trip and as I am posting blog, I am en route to Vietnam. I will be spending time with the Animals Asia team based there and I will be attending the ground breaking ceremony for their new and second bear sanctuary. I will also be visiting their elephant project there that enable elephants to be retired from exploitative elephant riding camps and live out their lives in the national parks. Exciting times ahead and more on this when I get back! Bye for now.

Following on from my visit to DRC, I travelled to Malawi to visit a project very close to our hearts – Lilongwe Wildlife Trust (LWT). My sister Sue Olsen first visited their wildlife rescue centre in 2012, along with Virgnia Mckenna of the Born Free Foundation. They had travelled here together with the Born Free rescue team and a lion called Simba, who had been rescued from a French circus. He spent the rest of his life in a beautiful enclosure at LWT’s rescue centre and in the company of lioness Bella, another Born Free rescue who was previously confined to a zoo in Romania. This trip resulted in the creation of Olsen Animal Trust by Sue so we have Born Free and LWT to thank for their outstanding work and inspiration!

OAT now supports LWT’s Wildlife Emergency Rescue Unit (WERU) alongside co-funders the Born Free Foundation, which operates in the cities and national parks of Malawi. We have also contributed to their crucial work combatting the illegal wildlife trade and more recently, alongside IFAW IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare) we have enabled the expansion and upgrading of facilities for injured and displaced wildlife at LWT’s rescue and rehabilitation centre.

Wildlife Centre Upgrade and Expansion

One of the key reasons for my visit this year was to see the newly upgraded centre and I was incredibly proud and impressed with what I saw. Brand new veterinary facilities, new and improved wildlife enclosures, new treatment rooms and much improved accommodation for volunteers.

Speaking of volunteers, if you would like to spend a few weeks or even months volunteering at the wildlife centre, you can access further details on their general program and specialised veterinary program via this link. Please note that all profits made from these programmes go directly towards the costs of running the centre so by enrolling, you will be helping LWT with their incredible work!

Residents of the rescue centre and those treated in the field includes a wide variety of species such as primates, hyenas, serval cats, cheetahs, elephants, rhinos, lions, various types of antelope, crocodiles, birds, snakes to name but a few, and over the past few years the critically endangered pangolin has also featured highly. Some animals in their care are those that have been confiscated from illegal traders / owners and others are injured, displaced or orphaned wildlife, which is, mostly at the hands of humans through poaching and snaring.

LWT’s vets always try to treat wildlife in the wild, allowing for immediate release, but when this is not possible, they are bought into the wildlife centre for intensive treatment and rehabilitation. Most are eventually returned to the wild, but when this is not possible, they are provided with lifetime care within purpose-built enclosures.

Here are a few of the current residents and patients at the rehab centre…

If you would like to learn more about the amazing work of WERU the emergency rescue unit, tune into TV channel-Sky Nature. The second series of Malawi Wildlife Rescue has recently started!

Click for link to SKY Series

Massive thank you to the entire LWT team for the work they do for Malawi’s wildlife and for making me so welcome on my visit. We are very proud to support this project and we wish them continued success with their awesome work! 

Hey everyone,

A few weeks ago I returned from my first trip to Africa since before Covid! It was really good to be back out there on the ground visiting some of the projects we support.

This time I went to DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo), Malawi and finally Zimbabwe. Located on map below just FYI. I have quite a lot to report on so for ease of reading I have decided to do separate blogs. The first being DRC…

DRC – DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is home to many species of beautiful wildlife including chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, okapi, antelope, wild dogs, hyenas, lion (although very scarce) & cheetahs, to name a few. More than half of Africa’s wild chimpanzee population lives in the DRC.

As many of you will know, I have traveled fairly extensively and to some pretty remote parts of the world, but to date, I can honestly say that DRC is the harshest country I have ever visited. Not only because I witnessed some of the most horrendous examples of wildlife exploitation, but also as on entry I needed a fixer to get me through security at the airport – and it was even more difficult getting out! Anyway, thats another story for another day….

JACK – Primate Sanctuary

The first project I visited in DRC was JACK Sanctuary a primate rehabilitation centre founded in 2006 by two amazing people (husband & wife team) Roxanne & Franck Chantereau. They are 100% committed to the project, and to wildlife conservation in general, and until very recently, they specialised in the rescue and rehabilitation of chimpanzees.

OAT was introduced to JACK in 2020.

You may remember from one of my blogs last year that we were approached by Pan African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA) to help construct urgent sanctuary facilities to accommodate 33 primates. They had been taken from the wild in DRC by illegal wildlife traders and were in the process of being trafficked to the far east, when the operation was intercepted by the authorities in Zimbabwe. The primates were indigenous to the DRC and if there was any chance of them being returned to the wild, they needed to return to their country of origin. After being confiscated, a number of wildlife organisations in Zimbabwe, including the Tikki Hywood Foundation (another of OAT’s beneficiaries), attended to their urgent physical wellbeing.

OAT agreed to fund the construction of high quality primate enclosures at JACK sanctuary in DRC to accommodate them on their return. Sadly not all of the primates survived the incredibly stressful ordeal, but 29 of the 33 pulled through and eventually made it home and are now undergoing rehabilitation at the JACK sanctuary. It will be a long journey, as they are young and vulnerable and don’t have the safety of their family troops they were taken from. However, over time they will form new troops amongst themselves and the team at JACK have every intention of getting them back in to the wild where they belong, so they will be returned to their natural habitat in due course.

I was very chuffed to be able to meet some of these rescued primates during my visit.

I was also privileged to be able to take part in an actual primate rescue during my visit. Since JACK took in the first primates from Zimbabwe, word has spread and they are now a port of call for all sorts of primate rescues. An example of this occurred whilst I was there. One morning Roxanne received a call from the authorities saying they had confiscated a young male vervet money and wanted JACK to come and collect it. This monkey had been tied to the side of a lorry, next to the diesel tank. This is common practice in DRC. Drivers buy these monkeys on the black market and use them to deter anyone from stealing fuel from their vehicles / trucks whilst they are sleeping or absent. Such a sad existence and witnessing this in action bought tears to my eyes. I took part in the rescue and was able to gain the confidence of the monkey quite quickly during our journey to the sanctuary. They deiced to name the monkey Dave – such a honour.

Two weeks after I returned from my African trip, JACK have been involved in the rescue and rehabilitation of 19 more primates confiscated from traders intercepted in country. OAT have since awarded a further grant to JACK to help increase their capacity for these primates and no doubt many more that will come their way in the future.

As previously mentioned, JACK sanctuary was initially established in 2006 to rehabilitate chimpanzees. They are currently home to 47 chimps and the sanctuary provide them with the best possible environment. All enclosures have water and they are fed twice a day with good quality fruit and vegetables and they also provide them with enrichment to keep them mentally stimulated.

CONSERV CONGO

Conserv Congo is the second project I visited in DRC. The organisation was founded by Adams Cassinga (featured above) in 2006. After studying journalism in America as a young man, Adams returned to DRC to follow his passion to protect wildlife in his home country. He is recognised by his Government and works closely with them in their efforts to combat the illegal trade in wildlife, be that for trade in body parts e.g. horn, ivory, skins, as well as live primates and other exotic species for zoos, circuses and pet collectors etc. Adams is based near to Kinshasa (the capital) and his organisation employs over 40 people across the country. His ambition is to triple the size of his team to significantly increase his impact on the trade. Considering the extremely hostile working environment, Conserv Congo’s successes are extremely impressive and they are a well known and respected organisation.

OAT has supported them for a few years now on various wildlife rescue / confiscation missions and in fact Adams was significantly involved in the Zimbabwean rescue mission and works collaboratively with JACK, Tikki Hywood Foundation and other such organisations on a very regular basis. Funds received are mainly to cover the cost of undercover investigators and the cost of rescuing and transporting confiscated wildlife to sanctuaries when traffickers are intercepted.

Adams is an exceptional human being and his work is nothing short of awesome. His life story needs to be told one day and is worthy of a book and / or a movie!

The pictures below say it all – victim to rescue thanks to the collaborative work of Conserve Congo and JACK 🙏

As mentioned in my previous blog, we started supporting a number of new projects over the past 18 months, but sadly we were unable to visit them due to covid. Namely; Humane Society International’s project in Korea rescuing and rehoming dogs from the meat trade, assisting J.A.C.K primate sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of Congo with the rescue and rehabilitation of primates caught up in the illegal trade of wildlife, and assisting PETA to rescue and provide sanctuary to working equines on the streets of Delhi. These projects continue to thrive and are changing the lives of so many animals in need.

During the same period, we also decided to supported some projects closer to home and, when travel restrictions were eased, we took the opportunity to visit them in person.

A bit of a long blog this time but hopefully you will enjoy the heartwarming photos and stories show. We love everything these projects stand for and feel privileged to be able to help them.

Secret World Wildlife Rescue

Last year we were approached by Secret World Wildlife Rescue, based in Highbridge, Somerset, who rescue and rehabilitate wildlife in the UK. They were looking for funding to expand their rehab facility and specifically to build a new state of the art hospital unit. As soon as travel restrictions were lifted we took a drive to Somerset and the rest, as they say, is history. On witnessing the passion and dedication of founder Pauline Kidner and her team, we agreed to support their expansion plans.  

Here are a selection of patients they have treated over the past year.

If you would like to contribute to Secret World Wildlife Rescue’s vital work please donate via the following link. Every little helps.

Click here to donate

Goodheart Animal Sanctuaries  

In August team OAT attended an open day at Goodheart’s farm animal sanctuary located in Worcestershire. Goodheart Animal Sanctuaries is owned and run by our close friends David Walker and his partner DJ. OAT is supporting the development of their new Pig Barn Project that will provide a cosy and spacious environment to house their pigs during the wetter, colder months. The barn will have spacious enclosures under cover, a hard-standing outdoor area, and a specific area for animals that may need to be brought in or separated from others temporarily due to illness. 

Not that they are suffering at all right now! They have wonderful paddocks with the option to take cover under natural vegetation and shelter in their own arks, but only the best is acceptable at Goodheart, so they will do anything they can to help further improve the quality of life for the pigs, and indeed all the animals in their care. After all, considering the start that most of the pigs had, i.e. neglected on factory farms, designer pets no longer wanted and petting farm animals no longer required, they deserve a second chance in life. If you would also like to contribute to Goodheart’s fundraising effort for the new pig facility, please click on the following link.  

Click here to donate

OAT have also sponsored one of Goodheart’s Hen Houses that enable rescued chickens to have round-the-clock access to both a cosy coop and a predator-safe outdoor area. During the day, the hens can enjoy a large grassland area complete with bushes and shrubs, plenty of interesting perching spaces, and ample space to exercise, scratch, and peck and forage for food. This means they can follow their natural instincts, which is incredibly beneficial for their mental wellbeing. Most of their hens have been rescued from the egg industry where they lived lives of suffering in cramped cages with no access to the outdoors. When they first arrive, many of the hens have severe feather loss, parasites such as mites and lice, and issues with their joints from being kept in cramped conditions. Sadly, these symptoms are common in ex-industry laying hens.  We think this is wrong, and believe that all animals deserve our respect and compassion. 

Welsh Dog Rescue

A few months ago, a friend of mine, Steph Jeavon’s, was riding her off road motorbike through the Welsh countryside (Snowdonia National Park) when she stumbled across 10 collie dogs who were being kept in horrendous conditions. They were living in cramped cages, which quite obviously hadn’t been cleaned out for months as they were steeped in their own faeces.

After a few sleepless nights worrying about these poor dogs, Steph called me and asked if OAT could help. We agreed and immediately began to formulate a plan. In most cases we try to implement or support a sustainable model but on this occasion, we simply had to rescue these dogs in whatever way we could. After a few difficult discussions with the owner of the dogs (sheep farmer) we discovered that he really only needed 4 of the 10 dogs to work his sheep.

Part of the rescue plan meant that we needed to rescue and find homes for 6 dogs including 3 puppies so I contacted DJ of Goodheart Animal Sanctuaries who is also a director of Wiccaways, a dog rescue and rehoming centre in Lincolnshire.

DJ agreed to help straight away and within a few weeks she, Steph and I were on site and we rescued and relocated six of the dogs. See below for before and after pics of the dogs, most of whom, thanks to DJ and her team, are already settled in their new and loving homes.

We love a happy ending and are so pleased for the lucky 6, but we all agreed at OAT that we simply couldn’t walk away from the 4 remaining working dogs. So, we decided to work with the farmer and come up with a plan to improve the living conditions and general welfare for the not so lucky 4. Within a month we managed to design and construct purpose built kennels and we will be forever grateful to friends like Terry McDermott, Steve Crijns and Kevin Bolleurs who gave up a week of their time, travelled to Wales with me and together we built these dogs a deserving home. We are also incredibly grateful to our friend Sam Trollope who designed the new kennels and provided the necessary drawings and specs. See videos and photos below for the finished project. 

That’s it for now! With a bit of luck my next blog will be from fields afar! My plan is to visit Zambia, DRC, Malawi and South Africa in 2022. Its going to be a busy year and I can’t wait!

Merry Christmas everyone! Another beautifully designed OAT Christmas card by our lovely Jocelyn Lawman.

Some exceptional animal welfare projects were bought to our attention over the past year but sadly due to Covid restrictions we were unable to visit them in person. We don’t normally extend grants to projects we haven’t seen first hand but these were exceptional circumstances and based on reputation and gut feeling, we decided to support some incredible initiatives.

I am hoping to visit them at some point in the future and will report back live when I do, but for now here are stories and pictures that showcase the amazing work of three such projects. I will continue to showcase the work of other new projects in further blogs to come.

HUMANE SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL – SOUTH KOREA

Dog Meat Trade

Humane Society International (HSI) are a leading force for animal protection. Alongside their admirable disaster relief responses, they work around the globe to promote the human-animal bond and confront animal cruelty in all its forms including ending confined meat farming, animal testing, trophy hunting and fur farming.

We recently learnt of HSI’s efforts in South Korea, where they are working toward initiating a government ban on the farming of dog meat for human consumption. By 2030, they hope their efforts will have led to the closure of all dog meat farms in the country, and that the cultural view that all dogs are worthy companion animals will predominate.  South Korea is the only country in the world that commercially farms dogs for human consumption and unbelievably, there are an estimated 2 million dogs (including many breeds) currently kept in cruel conditions on thousands of these farms.

Needless to say when HSI asked for our support in shutting down one of these dog meat farms to enable them to rescue and rehabilitate all 171 dogs, we immediately agreed. I am pleased to say that the mission went to plan and HSI expertly coordinated the closure of the farm and the subsequent transport of the dogs to the USA and Canada where they are now undergoing a comprehensive rehabilitation process in preparation for eventual rehoming.

We love everything HSI stand far and are incredibly proud to have been able to help them in this particular mission. I feel its the start of a longstanding mutually beneficial relationship and again, I cant wait to get out to South Korea to witness first hand the work they are doing to end this horrendously cruel trade in dog meat.  

The pictures and short video below shows the dog meat farm before it was closed and prior to the dogs being rescued and transported. The pictures after the video showcase the rescue mission and very happy dogs at the start of their new lives.

Dog Meat Farm

JACK PRIMATE SANCTUARY- Democratic Republic of Congo

25 primates rescued from illegal wildlife trade

DRC is not a country I had ever intended to travel to but having recently learnt about the amazing work of JACK Sanctuary (Jeunes Animal Confisques au Katanga) who specialise in the rescue and rehabilitation of Chimpanzees and other primates, its high on my list of priority projects to visit!

This project came about when we responded to a public appeal from PASA (Pan African Sanctuary Alliance) to help with the rehabilitation of 25 primates, confiscated by the wildlife authorities in Zimbabwe. The primates were illegally taken from the wild in DRC as part of an illegal trade deal. Fortunately the specialised wildlife trade authorities were made aware of this and were able to intervene when the truck carrying the primates was intercepted in Zimbabwe. It is believed they were en-route to South Africa before being exported overseas for the exotic pet trade, zoos, circuses.

Once confiscated the primates needed urgent care and attention due to the stress they had endured and this was provided by a small animal welfare rescue centre in Zimbabwe with the help of Lisa Hywood – founder of the Tikki Hywood Foundation. The primates remained at this facility until the necessary paperwork was obtained to repatriate them to DRC. Sadly the administrative process took 4 months but the good news is they are now back in DRC and thanks to experienced carers at the JACK sanctuary they are well on their way to being rehabilitated. Once this process is completed, they will be returned to the wilds of DRC where they belong.

JACK specialise in the rehabilitation of chimpanzees, which is very different from primate rehabilitation and in order to receive the 25 primates they needed to build specific enclosures and accommodation. With funding from OAT and others, they managed to build this facility in record time and you will see from the photos below, they did an awesome job! I can’t wait to get out their at see it for myself!

Watch this primate entertaining himself….

PETA INDIA

Working horses and bullocks on the street

We have supported the work of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) for a number of years now but this particular protect struck our heart strings. In simplistic terms it incentivises the owners of working animals on the streets of Delhi to relinquish their horses and bullocks to PETA in return for the provision of a mechanised rickshaw. This is a much more efficient method for transporting goods and the animals get to retire to Animal Rahat, a purpose built sanctuary supported by PETA.

A win win situation and better still, the Delhi government are right behind the initiative ensuring that the suffering of working animals will continue to diminish.

Hopefully one day the unnecessary suffering of these animals will become a thing of the distant past. I am pleased to say that our close friends of Good Heart Animal Sanctuaries were as excited as we were about this project and decided to co-fund a grant to enable the kickstart of this awesome initiative. Thank you Good Heart!

I’ll sign off now with a heartwarming video showing their new life at the sanctuary and I look forward to updating you on more new supported projects in the coming weeks.