Our Dog and Cat Welfare team worked with Beijing welfare group Lucky Cats to hold the 1st China Cat management Symposium, which saw the attendance of 70 delegates from 30 welfare groups, across 23 Chinese cities.
Over the past few years, what began as a concept that few supported, has mushroomed into a fantastically successful programme where both people and animals benefit. This is a classic example of a win-win situation - sharing our lives, harmoniously, humanely, with community cats, and benefiting from their presence too.
Speakers at the symposium included the Beijing Small Animal Veterinary Association, Lucky Cats, SPCA(HK), Beijing Rong An Vet Clinic and Animals Asia. Topics included general implementation of TNR, veterinary considerations, how to select and work with co-operating veterinary clinics around the city, how to work with volunteers, expert advice on desexing, and running a successful programme in the long term.
At the end of the first day, all delegates were invited to see an example of the "cat colonies" of Beijing. These were established by the Lucky Cats group after it successfully trapped, desexed, vaccinated and ear-tipped the cats and released them back into the community, where volunteers continue to feed them every day.
I had visited these colonies in the winter and was pleasantly surprised by how well they survived in the bitter cold. Their thick fur was freezing to the touch, but they were happy, healthy, nicely socialised – and clearly very well fed.
Now in the March spring sunshine as we all walked around, out these same cats bounced again from their hiding places in the park and eagerly queued up for their twice-daily supply of cat biscuits.
With permission from the local authorities and the park – a beautiful place of cultural pride near the Forbidden City – Lucky Cats and community volunteers have superbly pulled off this much-debated programme of TNR. They are showing even the cynics that this is the most practical and kindest way to control the cat population of our cities, and reduce the risk of disease.
Finally, as we know, cats are never the easiest species to work with - we love them, but they can be touchingly aloof at times and certainly seem to show us exactly who's boss. This thought reminded me of a favourite quote: “Women and cats will do as they please – and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.”
A huge congratulations to all who attended and contributed to the symposium, and who are undoubtedly responsible for the growing harmony between people and cats in China.
| Share this article with your friends | Donate to rescue appeal now |
For those supporters in Hong Kong, please join me and some of the gang from our Hong Kong office tomorrow night for the launch of a great new CD in support of the bears.
Hong Kong soul band Soul Traders is launching their debut album, "Fragile" at their own live gig in Central and it should be a fantastic night out.
Funds from the sale of the CD will go to Animals Asia and our campaign to end bear bile farming. Our grateful thanks to Jon and the rest of the band.
The CD will be available to buy from our Gift Shop soon, but meanwhile, I hope to see you tomorrow night.
Launch of Fragile
Date: Thursday 3 May
Venue: Backstage Live, Wellington Street, Central
Time: 9.30pm
Entry: $150 including one drink
| Share this article with your friends | Donate to rescue appeal now |
For the first time, Animals Asia now has a "Charity Emporium" which, as our UK Director Gill Maltby explains, is unlike any charity shop she has ever seen. Thanks to super supporter Denise Jacobs, who has been instrumental in getting the shop off the ground, it has opened to enormous fanfare in Western-Super-Mare.
I can only leave the rest of the blog to Gill to summarise the passion and tireless work that has gone into bringing this shop from dream to reality, with a massive bear-sized thank you to Denise and everyone listed below from the animals in Asia who will benefit so much from their kindness and generosity of heart.
Over to Gill:
All the people involved – as you can tell from the photos - are absolutely amazing and inspirational. They have all been working around the clock to get the shop ready for trading on Monday 23rd. We have great hopes for the shop in both raising awareness and vital funds for Animals Asia - and we are very proud of them all!
A massive thank you firstly to Denise Jacobs who has been instrumental in getting the shop off the ground, pulling together and coordinating a phenomenal team of volunteers who have created the shop. Denise has been wholly supported by her wonderful husband, Peter.
The team includes:
Adrian (Aaps) who did all the interior shop-fitting.
Brian (Gay) who did all the superb external and interior sign-writing.
Lisa who has been running around collecting mannequins and donated goods.
And a whole host of volunteers who have been painting and cleaning including: Rita, Lydia, Sylvia, Colin, Steve, David, Anthony and Ginny.
Thanks also must go to Tracey (Stokes) from the textile department at Weston College, who printed the beautiful Animals Asia curtains for free and Mike from the local Millets store, who kindly donated sizing cubes, hangers, rails, busts and a steamer for the shop.
It was also great to have the support of local John Penrose MP – who kindly came and cut the ribbon with Denise and Moonie.
And of course our wonderful and long-standing supporter and Moon Bear Rescue support group head, Lee Gibbins, who was absolutely crucial in the shop going ahead and has been a key person in its development. Lee (on the right) is with Lara from our UK office.
We also have our beautiful shop dog Max to thank too!
Thank you again everyone – what a fabulous and positive addition to the Animals Asia family in the UK – and long may our new emporium be a success!
| Share this article with your friends | Donate to rescue appeal now |
Many of you may remember that I recently posted a blog about Jeannette Jaussi from Switzerland and her visit to our bear sanctuary in Vietnam. Jeannette is part of VZUT, an amazing support group of Swiss friends in the beautiful city of Bern, who dedicate their lives to helping the bears. They have flea markets, Klausen Sacklies, and even make delicious homemade cakes that are personally delivered by Santa Claus at Christmas!
With Jeannette's latest adventure, she has really gone the extra mile. After she met Tuan, our Vietnam Director, and the rescued bears at our Tam Dao sanctuary, she made a promise that she would return to Switzerland and do the Swiss part of the "Il Camino" (St Jacobs Path).
True to her word, on 1st April, Jeannette began this very personal challenge - walking Il Camino - accompanied only by her dog. As of 16 April, she had walked exactly half way in a gruelling 240km slog that began with clear skies and sunshine, and on to freezing cold snow. At this point, it has been raining for days and poor waterlogged Jeannette needs all the help and encouragement we can offer as she walks relentlessly on for the bears.
Please visit Jeannette's Facebook page and show her how much we love her and appreciate her poor sore feet and blisters, and wish her all strength and motivation for the final part of her incredible journey.
| Share this article with your friends | Donate to rescue appeal now |
Little did I know, when first introduced to some new UK supporters during a roadshow event some years ago, that they would turn out to be such generous and magnificent supporters of our work to end bear farming.
Suzie Marsh and Richard Symonds are well-known wildlife artists – Suzie’s sculptures and Richard’s pencil drawings are collected by both individuals and businesses, and exhibited nationally and internationally. After hearing about the bears’ plight, they both immediately pledged their support through their art and were as good as their word.
Suzie sculpted the beautiful bear that rode the Animals Asia Hope of Freedom elephant in London’s 2010 Elephant Parade and both have donated their work to Animals Asia auctions, raising many thousands of pounds. This was not enough for them though and eventually they offered to hold a joint exhibition with up to 50 per cent of the proceeds of sales being donated to Animals Asia!
Last year they visited our sanctuary in China to collect material for the exhibition. The visit was unforgettable - with many of the bears outdoing each other to strike memorable poses - and with Richard and Suzie immensely moved by all they saw. Although all of the bears were happy in the spring sunshine, Richard, Suzie and I couldn't help losing ourselves to the emotion of it all at the sight of bears that had previously spent decades in cages.
Suzie: “Arriving at the sanctuary and seeing my first bears just overwhelmed me like a tidal wave. They are such magnificent creatures. To see how they can recover from what humans have done to them is mind blowing.”
Since that time, Richard and Suzie have been working round the clock to produce the stunning drawings and sculptures that are now about to be exhibited in London’s Menier Gallery from 25-28 April. Entitled “Moonstruck”, the exhibition is full of wonderful original pieces, limited and open editions so something to fit all budgets. It contains not only images of some of our favourite bears, but also stunning studies of other Chinese wildlife, such as pandas, tigers and snow leopards.
I am delighted to be opening the exhibition on 24 April with our good friend and supporter, UK actor Brian Blessed. I’ll also be returning on 27 April when both artists will be conducting live demonstrations of sculpting and drawing from 3–5pm.
I would urge all our UK supporters to visit the exhibition to see, and perhaps purchase, some of these beautiful works for themselves. See here for full details of Moonstruck.
For those unable to visit the exhibition, an online gallery of these truly stunning images will be available on the website from 25th April, with artwork still available for purchase.
I am so excited about the exhibition and would just like to thank Richard and Suzie again now for their generosity and commitment to our beautiful bears. Please do visit the exhibition in person or online and make all their incredible efforts worthwhile.
Rich: "Apart from capturing these fantastic brave, heroic and playful animals for eternity on canvas so that they will never be forgotten, I hope above all else to help bring awareness of the terrible plight of the bears suffering at man's hand. It is without doubt that Jill has started a ball rolling that just will not stop until the last bile farm is closed and these majestic souls can finally live a life of peace. I am honoured to be a small part of this huge ball."
| Share this article with your friends | Donate to rescue appeal now |
Next Previous
