This adorable kitten is just one of many pets who have found a forever home thanks to the work Second Acts does. Right now, Second Acts is up for the Chase Community Giving award, if they win they would receive $250,000! Imagine all the rescue groups that would benefit from that. If you are on Facebook, please consider using one of your votes for this great group. You can find their voting page here: http://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/charities/800159651-second-acts

Voting ends at 11:59:59 AM EST tonight!

Cute of the Day: Second Acts Kitty originally appeared on 4 The Love of Animals on July 12, 2010.

ADI, which has previously rescued and relocated animals in Europe, South America and Africa have described it as one of the most complex logistical operation they have ever undertaken but say it will be worth all of the effort when the animals walk free. You can follow their blog, Flight to Freedom, to get updates on how the lions are doing, and to read the full story and see videos like the one below.

CSI actress Jorja Fox, the ADI spokesperson for the operation, greeted the lions when they arrived in San Francisco said: “These magnificent lions have lived all their lives in a tiny cage on the back of a truck. They have never felt the grass beneath their feet or had the space to truly run and play. They symbolize everything that is wrong with using animals to entertain people in circuses and that will be vividly clear when they run free in their new home. What a way to start memorial weekend. These lions really are home for the holidays.””

Pat Derby, President and Founder of the Performing Animal Welfare Society, said, “Animal Defenders International contacted PAWS last year about providing a permanent home for the African lions remaining in Bolivia. Because we have ARK2000, our 2,300-acre sanctuary in San Andreas, California, we were happy to be able to help. ”

Ed Stewart, PAWS’ Sanctuary Director, added, “We have been busy developing plans for the new lion habitat. Each lion has his or her own denning area and a vast natural habitat full of trees, shrubs and grasses.”

“We are all grateful to Bob Barker for his support of our sanctuary. As with every animal at PAWS, we are committed to providing life-time care. Each of the new lions will now have the peace and freedom to do as they please. They can nap or roam, sunbathe or explore. It’s their home and they will make their own choices.”

Derby said, “We congratulate ADI for their tireless efforts to rescue these animals and we applaud the government of Bolivia and its good citizens for banning the cruel exploitation of animals used in circuses. This is certainly a landmark victory and we hope that other countries around the world, including the United States, will take notice and follow suit.”

Jan Creamer, ADI President who has been in Bolivia coordinating the rescue and who flew in with the lions said: “With the Congresses of Peru, Brazil, Colombia, and Chile all considering legislation to ban animal circuses, this rescue is not merely symbolic, it shows that we are prepared to make a real commitment to ensure that bans on animal circuses can be fully implemented and animals can be saved.

“As other animals need homes we will be assessing these on a case by case basis. With these lions there were clear welfare and public safety issues, When dealing with lions there are not only welfare and public safety issues, we are therefore delighted to be working with PAWS who have enormous experience with big cats and a reputation for setting the highest standards in animal care.”

The ADI rescue operation was backed by Bob Barker.

About Animal Defenders International (ADI):
With offices in Los Angeles, London and Bogota, Animal Defenders International (ADI) campaigns to protect animals in entertainment; replacement of animals in experiments; worldwide traffic in endangered species; vegetarianism; factory farming; pollution and conservation. ADI also rescues animals in distress worldwide. ADI gathered evidence has led to campaigns and legislative action all over the world to protect them.

ADI’s Mission: To educate, create awareness, and promote the interest of humanity in the cause of justice, and the suppression of all forms of cruelty to animals wherever possible to alleviate suffering, and to conserve and protect animals and the environment.

Flight to Freedom originally appeared on 4 The Love of Animals on July 3, 2010.

Farm Sanctuary recently came to the aid of six male Holstein calves, several just days old, who had been abandoned without food or water and left for dead. With much love and care these calves are now thriving, however, they are in desperate need of potential adopters for these sweet boys.

Farm Sanctuary operates the country’s largest farm animal rescue and adoption network. Every year, they assist with urgent placement needs, particularly in cruelty cases involving large numbers of animals. When their shelters are full, they depend on compassionate people who want to make a direct difference for a suffering cow, pig, chicken or other farm animal.

Since 1986, nearly 3,000 needy farm animals have been given a new beginning — thanks to people all across the country who have room in their hearts and their homes to join the FARM ANIMAL ADOPTION NETWORK (FAAN).

Right now, due to an influx in cruelty cases, they desperately need to grow the FAAN program so they can continue to help farm animals in need. If you or someone you know is, equipped to provide a forever home for a farm animal in need, please consider doing so! Click here to learn more about joining the FAAN program.

Farm Sanctuary needs help. originally appeared on 4 The Love of Animals on June 15, 2010.

The babies are the first lemurs to be born at Jambo Junction, home to the parks’ animal ambassadors, since Maditra and Bozeny arrived as babies three years ago. Lemurs are a species of primate, and reach sexual maturity between 2 and 3 years old.

The sex of the babies has yet to be determined, but they are developing well overall, according to trainers. They are getting braver each day, and exploring their habitat under the watchful eye of Mom and Dad. They currently weigh about 300 grams or a little more than half a pound; lemurs average about 80 grams, or .17 of a pound, at birth. They grow to be about 8 to 10 pounds.

All species of lemurs are native to the island of Madagascar. Red-ruffed lemurs are one of nearly about 50 lemur species. Busch Gardens is home to five lemur species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service considers all lemurs endangered. Lemurs are endangered largely due to habitat destruction. Their forests are destroyed for their wood and to grow agricultural crops.

Lemurs play an important role in the ecology of Madagascar as seed dispersers. The seeds can then grow into new plants, which is important since the forests of Madagascar are being destroyed at a very high rate. However, they cannot disperse enough seeds to match the rate of forest destruction.

The SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund is actively working with groups in the wild to save endangered or threatened species, such as lemurs. The non-profit, private charitable foundation is committed to supporting wildlife and habitat conservation, research, education and animal rescue programs worldwide. Since its inception in 2004, the Fund has donated more than $6 million to more than 500 projects around the world. For more on the Fund, visit SWBG-ConservationFund.org.

Baby Lemurs at Busch Gardens originally appeared on 4 The Love of Animals on May 17, 2010.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), is a non-profit organization working to save animals in crisis worldwide, to help protect our oceans’ whale population. Thousands of whales die each year from commercial whaling, ship strikes, and habitat disruption

IFAW advocates for the protection of wildlife in their habitats, works to prevent cruelty to animals, and rescues individual animals. A new proposal to lift the ban on commercial whaling has raised much concern amongst members of The International Fund for Animal Welfare and animal rights activists around the world.

Whales are facing more threats today than ever before, largely from commercial whaling. But recently, a new plan has been released to legalize this practice. The plan can mean not only reversing the current ban on whale hunting by Norway, Iceland, and Japan for the next ten years, but will allow whaling in the internationally recognized whale sanctuary around Antarctica. The number of whales each country will have permission to hunt is yet to be determined, and may ignore estimated sustainable whaling limits. It is up to us to lead the effort in protecting these animals.

To learn about how you can get involved, please visit IFAW on Facebook or visit www.IFAW.org.

Whales in danger. originally appeared on 4 The Love of Animals on May 11, 2010.

The Blind Dog Rescue Alliance is a small group of volunteers in the United States and portions of Canada dedicated to helping blind and visually impaired dogs. They help through rescuing dogs in shelters, assisting blind dog owners, and educating the public about these wonderful dogs. On their website you will find information about dogs who are looking for homes, as well as tips for living with a blind dog, and other helpful information on common eye problems in dogs.

They are always looking for volunteers, and since they are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit group, all donations are tax deductible! If you would like to learn more about them, please visit their website. You can even become a fan of theirs on their Blind Dog Alliance Facebook page!

Blind Dog Rescue Alliance originally appeared on 4 The Love of Animals on April 5, 2010.

“It’s bad enough that these dogs were treated cruelly and raised in horrible conditions,” said Tim Rickey, the ASPCA Senior Director of Field Investigations and Response. “But to leave them like this to starve is incomprehensible and speaks exactly to the kinds of heinous crimes the ASPCA fights day in and day out.”

“They bear the battle scars consistent with those of fighting dogs,” Rickey said. “Being chained 24/7 is no way to live—they have lived miserable lives, and are just starved for human contact.”

To read the full story, and for ways that you can help, please visit the ASPCA blog. If you see animal abuse, please report it. We have so much love and respect for the ASPCA agents who answer these calls and help animals every day.

26 Dogs saved by the ASPCA originally appeared on 4 The Love of Animals on February 23, 2010.

Founded by Helen Woodward Animal Center and supported by Iams, the Iams Home 4 the Holidays campaign began in 1999 with just 14 participating animal shelters in San Diego County. Today there are 3,500 animal organizations in 17 countries around the world helping orphaned animals find loving homes. This year, award winning actress Hilary Swank joined the cause to help homeless animals find loving homes during the holiday season. An animal lover herself, she adopted her dog Rumi!

Since it began in 1999, Iams Home 4 the Holidays has helped place more than 3 million pets into happy homes. This year the program, which started on Oct.1, has helped more than 713,828 cats, dogs and other animals find homes. The goal is to find homes for 1.5 million animals between Oct. 1, 2009 and Jan. 4, 2010.

If you are considering adding a pet to your family as a gift, PLEASE consider adoption from shelters and rescue first. There are so many great animals waiting to find homes. You won’t just be giving an amazing gift to your family, but you will be saving a life as well.

To make a difference in the life of an orphaned animal by volunteering, donating or adopting, please visit www.iamshome4theholidays.com.

ADOPTION FACTS

• As many as 8 million animals are homeless in the U.S.
• Nearly 4 million orphaned dogs and cats will be euthanized this year due to shelter over-crowding and lack of awareness about the importance of pet adoption.
• More than 25 percent of all dogs in shelters are purebreds.
• IH4TH helped 1,202,751 pets find homes last year alone.
• In Oct. 2008 Hilary Swank adopted Rumi through IH4TH at a Los Angeles shelter.
• Over the past decade more than 3 million pets –1,638,515 dogs, 1,505,690 cats and 134,062 “other” animals – have been adopted through IH4TH.

Visit Iams Home 4 The Holidays to learn more.

Hilary Swank joins Home 4 The Holidays originally appeared on 4 The Love of Animals on December 21, 2009.

There has been a big upswing in the number of loving, older dogs, being given up. It’s heartwarming to know that there is a specific rescue that is trying to help older dogs. Right now they are part of the Shelter Challenge on The Animal Rescue Site! I would encourage you all to go and cast a vote for The Sanctuary for Senior dogs, and remember that you can vote daily.

When you go to vote for the first time you will need to search for them by name, and state. Remember, they operate out of Ohio. After you have voted once, when you return there will be a vote button showing you who you last voted for. Please help them win so they can continue to help older dogs.

The Sanctuary for Senior Dogs originally appeared on 4 The Love of Animals on October 8, 2009.

RESCUE INK UNLEASHED is a new weekly series that documents this unlikely group of animal activists on their crusade to save helpless, abandoned and abused animals. Featured on “Ellen” and in The New York Times, this eclectic band of brothers — composed of club bouncers, security guards and even a retired New York Police Department (NYPD) detective — is on call 24/7 to take on cases no one else will. They’re not cops, animal experts or even animal control. They’re just big guys with even bigger hearts and a desire to save animals from deplorable living conditions and abusive or simply misguided owners. Each one-hour episode of RESCUE INK UNLEASHED takes viewers on “ride-alongs” as members follow up on leads in the New York metro area. Taking an average of 100 calls a week at their headquarters on Long Island, they jump into their cars — or on their “hogs” — and confront alleged animal abusers, rescue fighting dogs, investigate stolen animals and (firmly) encourage owners to give up their pets if it is in the best interest of the animals.

You can find out more about each of the tattooed crusaders and learn more about the show by visiting Rescue Ink Unleashed on the National Geographic website. It is such a great show, and so worth watching, so be sure to check your local listings for the time, it airs every Friday night.

Members of Rescue Ink gather to discuss a game plan on how to catch a group of stray chickens running amok in Queens, New York. (Photo Credit: © NGT/Andrew Baxt)

Rescue Ink Unleashed originally appeared on 4 The Love of Animals on September 27, 2009.