Tag: #volunteering

Episode 136:Kindness Is Helping Primates Together—How a group of sanctuaries work together to help primates.

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Amanda (Andy) Gray joins Anitha to talk about NAPSA (North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance) an incredible organization dedicated to uniting the primate sanctuary community.

Of course, Andy and Anitha talk about the wonderful work NAPSA sanctuaries are doing to provide enrichment and professional lifetime care to primates. But they also talk about the reasons primates, who are not native to North America, end up in sanctuaries in this part of the world. From bio-medical research to entertainment to the exotic pet trade, all of these industries use and cause primates immense harm and suffering.

Fortunately, sanctuaries such as those who are part of NAPSA work tirelessly to end the exploitation of primates.

A compelling conversation about caring for our closest relatives and how we can all advocate on their behalf.

To learn more about NAPSA, their member sanctuaries and how you can support their work, check out the following links:

 NAPSA’s website

NAPSA on Facebook

NAPSA on Instagram

As a thank you to Andy for sharing her story, Anitha donated to GIVING DAY FOR APES. In its 12th year, Giving Day for Apes is a worldwide event bringing together thousands of donors to rescue and protect apes across Africa, Asia, and North America. The live event takes place on Tuesday, October 7th, but you don’t have to wait – Early Giving is open now!

To learn more about GIVING DAY FOR APES, click here:

Giving Day For Apes

To hear the full episode, click here:

Episode 135: Kindness Is Ethical Wildlife Tourism—How to enjoy your trip while respecting wildlife

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Travelling to faraway places can create lovely memories but does it come at the expense of wildlife?

Connie Needham joins Anitha to talk about ways to enjoy your holiday without causing harm to animals.

The two chat about experiences such as elephant rides and photo-ops with wildlife and the harm these activities inflict on the animal and most likely their family and habitat.

Connie shares things we can all do to have fun on our holiday while increasing the likelihood that our actions don’t cause harm to another being.

A great episode for those who love to travel and love animals.

To learn more about ethical wildlife tourism you can follow Connie here:

Instagram

YouTube 

Website Project Wild

LinkedIn

TikTok

As a thank you to Connie for sharing her story, Anitha donated to Wild Futures Monkey Sanctuary, a registered charity founded in 1964. This charity is committed to protecting primates and habitats all over the world. To learn more about the work they do, check out their website:

Wild Futures

To hear the full episode, click here:

Episode 133: Kindness Is Story Book Farm Primate Sanctuary—A place where primates heal & recover from trauma.

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Rachelle Hansen joins Anitha to talk about Story Book Farm Primate Sanctuary, located in Ontario, Canada. Rachelle shares stories of the residents who currently live and have lived at the sanctuary. She talks about the friendships they have made, things they enjoy doing and how the folks at the sanctuary do their best to make the lives of the residents as happy and comfortable as possible, given they can never be returned to their natural homes in the wild.

Bob & Collette
Nora & Mojo
Njeri
Max under his blanket
Darwin
Boo & Gerdie

Of course, Rachelle talks about Pockets Warhol, the famous white-capped capuchin monkey who loves to paint. His art work is highly sought after.

Pockets

Rachelle also talks about the residents’ lives before coming to the sanctuary—many were victims of the pet trade, bio-medical experiments and zoos.

During their conversation, Rachelle shares the horrific plight of more than 6,000 endangered Cambodian macaques arriving in Canada for the past 19 months to be used in laboratory testing. These wild-caught primates, typically between one and two years of age, are illegally trafficked from Cambodia to Montreal, Canada in tiny crates, often without food or water. If they survive the trip, they then endure immense pain, suffering and terror as they are subjected to experiments, even though it is well documented that these drug experiments consistently fail to improve human health. This is such a tragedy, BUT there is something everyone can do to help. Rachelle, shared the following link, where folks can sign a petition and email the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Julie Dabrusin to urge her to stop the importation of long-tailed macaques into Canada.

Horrible things are happening in the world, but here is one instance where you can help. Please click on the link and sign the petition.

Help Cambodian Macaques

To learn more about Story Book Farm Primate Sanctuary and to book a visit, check out their website and Instagram account.

Story Book Farm Website

Story Book Farm Instagram

As a thank you to Rachelle for sharing her story, Anitha donated to Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary.  Located in Sierra Leone, Tacugama is dedicated to enforcing wildlife laws, and rescuing and rehabilitating critically endangered orphaned Western chimpanzees. To learn more about Tacugama, check out their website. You can also listen to episode 55 of the Kindness Is Everything podcast, where Dr. Izzy Hirji, a veterinarian, talks about volunteering with both Tacugama and Story Book Farm.

Tacugama Website

Episode 55: Kindness Is Dr. Izzy Goes Wild

To hear the full episode, click here:

Episode 127: Kindness Is Wild By Nurture—One woman’s dedication to opossums, porcupines, foxes and many animals often neglected when it comes to rescue.

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Claire Peters-Lunny, the founder of Wild By Nurture, joins Anitha to share stories about her Wildlife Rehab & Sanctuary.

Claire’s love for animals began at a very early age so it makes sense that she now spends her days and often nights, caring for orphaned and injured opossums, porcupines, groundhogs and many others.

The majority of animals come to her after being injured or orphaned from human activity, such as being hit by a car.

Claire shares heartwarming stories of some of the individuals whose injuries were too severe to be released back in the wild and who now call her home, their home. Animals like Hazel the groundhog and Bramble the porcupine. Claire also talks about how affectionate opossums are and how they are incredible mothers.

Did you know that baby opossums can survive in their mother’s pouch even after she has been struck and killed by a car? Many of the orphaned opossums who come to Wild By Nurture, were found by folks who were kind enough to stop and check on animals struck by a car, as some may still be alive or may have babies who are alive.

To learn more about Wild By Nurture, the many animals they care for, and what you can do if you come across an injured animal, check out the following links:

Facebook: Wild By Nurture 

Instagram: Wild By Nurture

Website: Wild By Nurture

As a thank you to Claire for sharing his story, Anitha donated to Wild By Nurture. 

To hear the full episode, click here:

Episode 125: Kindness Is PETA KIDS—How PETA is showcasing kids & their compassion for animals.

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Samantha Crowe, PETA’s associate director of science education, joins Anitha to talk about the ethical treatment of animals, providing teachers humane alternatives to dissection, and so much more, including some really super kind kids.

Samantha also announces PETA’s upcoming ALL STAR FOR ANIMALS contest. This contest is for kids 12 and under. If you know a compassionate kid, nominate them to win some awesome prizes! Deadline is July 31st.

Go to the PETA Kids website to find out more about the contest and also some kid friendly ways to be kind to animals: PETA Kids website

To follow PETA Kids check out their Instagram account: PETA kids Instagram

To find out more about Harvey and the Lightning Herd, the children’s book Samantha recommended, click here: Harvey and the Lightning Herd

As a thank you to Samantha for sharing her story, Anitha donated to PETA’s Global Compassion Fund. This fund helps animals around the world by sponsoring vital rescue work, spay/neuter programs, innovative outreach, and educational campaigns.

To learn more about PETA’S Global Compassion Fund, check out their website:

GLOBAL COMPASSION FUND

To hear the full episode, click here:

Episode 123: Kindness Is Theo & 3 Sisters—How one couple took the phrase ‘adopt don’t shop’ to heart & welcomed a family of four kittens into their lives.

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What could be better than chatting about one adorable kitten— chatting about four! Anitha is joined by Lindsay Fortune who shares why she and her partner adopted four kittens all at once and how their life has changed. Theo, Sadie, Bailey and Stella, went from tiny feral babies, whose bodies stiffened when touched, to healthy, happy and oh-so playful kittens.

Lindsay credits the kittens’ foster mom, who goes by @soccercatmom on social media, for the incredible transformation.

Lindsay talks about each of the kittens personalities—including who dominates the coveted honey pot!

An uplifting conversation for anyone who needs a smile!

To follow Theo and his super cute sisters, check out their Instagram: Theo.and.3sisters

As a thank you to Lindsay for sharing her story, Anitha donated to Motley Zoo Animal Rescue.

Despite its name, Motley Zoo is not a zoo at all. This non-profit is a volunteer-run, foster-based, no-kill animal rescue dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating animals in need. To learn more about them, check out their website: Motley Zoo Animal Rescue

To hear the full episode, click here:

Episode 122: Kindness Is Secondhand Stories

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Animal advocate Liz Wheeler has been drawn to animals her entire life. She talks to Anitha about Secondhand Stories, a non-profit sanctuary for chickens she and her husband founded in 2022.

In the short time since inception, Secondhand Stories has rescued and cared for numerous chickens and is currently home to 22 very special birds.

Liz talks to Anitha about the importance of seeing chickens as individuals. She shares stories of some of the fortunate chickens who now call the sanctuary home.

Liz and Anitha also talk about what the terms ‘care-free’ and ‘free-range’ chickens really mean—and spoiler alert, they don’t mean ‘happy, free running chickens’.

A super fun and interesting conversation where listeners are sure to fall in love with chickens like Bubba, Oscar, Ezra and Hershey.

Bubba
Oscar & Liz
Ezra & Liz
Hershey

To learn more about Secondhand Stories Chicken Sanctuary, check out these links. Perhaps one day, you might even be lucky enough to visit the sanctuary and meet one or more of these loving and full of personality chickens.

Website—Secondhand Stories

Instagram—Secondhand Stories

Email: liz@secondhandstories.ca

As a thank you to Liz for sharing her story, Anitha donated to Secondhand Stories.

To hear the full episode, click here:

Episode 121: Kindness Is Saving 25 Cats From Qatar

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Filmmaker Mye Hoang joins Anitha to talk about her latest documentary, 25 CATS FROM QATAR.

Mye is a cat lover who shares her home with five cats so it makes sense that a visit to a cat café in Milwaukee, USA lead to her filming a documentary about the owner of the café, Katy McHugh. Mye films Katy’s rescue mission to Qatar where she brings 25 cats back to the US and finds them their forever homes.

Mye shares what it was like being a part of this incredible journey to Qatar, a country with so much wealth yet at the same time filled with so many suffering animals. The cats are not native to Qatar. They were brought in years ago to help control the rat population. Sadly, the cats weren’t spayed or neutered and their numbers increased to the point that local rescuers are overwhelmed and cannot care for all the cats.

This was such a privilege for Anitha to speak with Mye, who donates profits from the documentary and from the sale of merchandise to local rescues.

The film is being shown throughout the United States and Mye hopes to take the film to other countries.

To learn more about 25 CATS FROM QATAR and find out when it’s coming to your area, check out their website and these social media links.

25 Cats From Qatar website

Instagram

Trailer on YouTube

As a thank you to Mye for sharing her story, Anitha donated to 25 CATS FROM QATAR so Mye can continue to support local rescues.

To hear the full episode, please click here:

Episode 119: Kindness Is Jarjeer Mules

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One of the highlights of Anitha’s time in Marrakech, Morocco was meeting Susan Machin and getting a tour of Jarjeer—the sanctuary she created for donkeys, mules and horses.

Anitha was thrilled when Susan agreed to be a guest on the podcast.

Susan talks about her journey from being a Barrister in the UK to moving to Morocco. She shares the ups and downs of those first few days, weeks, months of sanctuary life.

Susan also talks about the importance of community involvement and support in order to change the perspective of equines in a country where they are often seen as tools to accomplish tasks, and sadly treated and discarded as such.

An incredible conversation with an incredible woman who has dedicated her life to help sick and injured equines get the care they deserve.

To learn more about Jarjeer,  check out their website and Instagram:

Jarjeer website

Jarjeer Instagram

As a thank you to Susan for sharing her story, Anitha donated to Sunshine Animal Refuge in Agadir (SARA). This animal rescue was created in 2013 by Michele Augsburger in response to the dire living conditions of street animals in Morocco.  SARA is dedicated to providing animals a happy and healthy life by offering them refuge. To learn more about SARA, check out their website:

Sunshine Animal Refuge- Agadir

To hear the full episode, click here:

Episode 117: Kindness Is Being The Rebel Vegan

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Former dairy farmer Todd Sinclair joins Anitha to talk about his journey from growing up on a Canadian dairy farm to becoming a vegan.

Todd gives listeners the rare opportunity to find out what life on a dairy farm is truly like for the animals. Listeners may be surprised to hear that life for dairy cows is not all happy and carefree—like many dairy farmers want the public to believe when they falsely advertise smiling cows on products such as milk, yogurt and cheese.

Todd explores the reasons behind the relative low cost of animal-based protein compared to plant-based protein—Governments subsidize the animal agricultural industry with our tax dollars, allowing these industries to sell their products at a reduced price—A price that does not reflect the true cost of animal-based protein.

Todd also talks about the fun Instagram posts he shares every Monday where he showcases happy news about animals and animal welfare.

To learn more about Todd and to see his uplifting Happy Monday posts, check out these links:

Todd’s Website

Instagram

Facebook

Todd has authored The Rebel Vegan Book Series.

To find out about these books, click the following links:

Amazon Canada

Amazon USA

Amazon UK

As a thank you to Todd for sharing his story, Anitha donated to Animal Aid in the UK. This non-profit began in 1977 with a goal of ending animal cruelty. To learn more about what they do, please visit their website.

Animal Aid Website

To hear the full episode, click here: