Adopt an Animal - News

The Aspinall Foundation are offering up an amazing prize for the ‘Have a Heart’ campaign which kicks off on Monday 5th March 2012. Bidders will be taking part in a live on air auction on the Heart Kent Breakfast Show on Friday 9th March 2012, with the prize a once in a lifetime stay for up to eight people at the park’s brand new accommodation, Livingstone Cottage.

The winning bid will also receive a VIP behind the scenes tour of the wild animal park from them and their guests the next day, giving you the chance to come face to face and feed the animals at the park!

Livingstone Cottage offers guests the chance to wake up in the midst of the park with a their own private chef, luxury rooms and a VIP safari of the 100 acre Kent resort. The winner will be welcomed with a champagne cream tea, a private safari, followed by an authentic African dinner. Delightful!

The Have a Heart charity began in July 2009 to help improve the lives of disadvantaged children. This year the appeal will run from Monday 5th March and will be supporting the work of ChildLine, so if you would like to be in with a chance of winning this amazing prize, be sure to tune in to the Heart Kent breakfast show on Friday 9th March 2012.

Sales Manager at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park, Sam Lloyd, said -

At Port Lympne we work tirelessly to protect rare and endangered species, but we are also committed to the communities who support us. We are delighted to offer this prize and hope that it will prove popular at the auction and raise much needed funds for this great campaign. Livingstone Cottage is a wonderful experience that we are justly proud of and we hope that the winning bidder will be delighted with their prize.

Adopt an Animal with The Aspinall Foundation

Each Keep Me Safe animal adoption from The Aspinall Foundation comes in a presentation box which includes a cuddly toy of your adopted species, fact sheet and £5 voucher accepted as part of entry cost to Howletts or Port Lympne Wild Animal Parks, plus -

• Animal PC wallpaper
• Animal e-factsheet
• E-certificate for your adopted animal
• Twice yearly update on your adopted animal by email.
• As well as one FREE entry to Howletts or Port Lympne Wild Animal Parks – so you can come and visit your animal!

>> Click Here to Adopt an Animal with the Aspinall Foundation

The Aspinall Foundation is pleased to announce that they will be hosting a special three course Mother’s Day lunch at The Mansion & Gardens in their Port Lympne Park near Ashford in Kent. The historic mansion is not normally open to the public, so if you fancy doing something totally unique for the special little lady, this could definitely be the one!

There’s a great selection of dishes available on the day including pan fried cod, roasted sirloin of beef or roast loin of pork for main. Simply click on the link below to download the Mother’s Day Lunch Menu in all it’s glory!

> > Click here to download menu

The Mansion & Gardens are right in the middle of the Port Lympne Wild Animal Park, so you could work up an appetite before lunch by taking a safari in the morning and checking out all the animals on show like gorillas, lions, elephants and tigers. Prices start from £29.95 for an adult and £17.95 for children, though please do book early as space is very limited.

Please call 01303 234111 for bookings or email info@aspinallfoundation.org for more information.

Head of Events, Sam Lloyd, said -

Mothers Day is the perfect opportunity to say thank you and what better way to show you care than by taking Mum out for lunch. Start the day with a safari to see giraffe, black rhino, ostrich, zebra and other animals wandering freely as if on the plains of Africa and then join us in the Mansion for a mouth watering Mothers Day meal.

Adopt an Animal with The Aspinall Foundation

Each Keep Me Safe animal adoption from The Aspinall Foundation comes in a presentation box which includes a cuddly toy of your adopted species, fact sheet and £5 voucher accepted as part of entry cost to Howletts or Port Lympne Wild Animal Parks, plus -

• Animal PC wallpaper
• Animal e-factsheet
• E-certificate for your adopted animal
• Twice yearly update on your adopted animal by email.
• As well as one FREE entry to Howletts or Port Lympne Wild Animal Parks – so you can come and visit your animal!

>> Click Here to Adopt an Animal with the Aspinall Foundation

WWF charity officials were over the moon when one of their night vision camera captured a snow leopard going about it’s business in the Wangchuck Centennial Park in Bhutan, India’s largest protected area. These amazing images below were taken at the end of 2011 through a camera trap, used to study many different endangered species, including the Tibetan wolf, the musk deer, and of course the amazing snow leopard!

The camera filmed both predator and prey, showing that this protected area is now a key refuge for Himalayan biodiversity, and must be properly protected to ensure the many different endangered animals that call this area home are looked after. The Wangchuck Centennial Park connects two protected areas covering the entire northern frontier of Bhutan, linking the Himalayan landscape in Nepal and India.

There are thought to be as little 4,500 snow leopards left on the planet due to poaching and loss of habitat, with climate change resulting in the loss of as much as 30% of the snow leopards habitat in the Himalayas.

WWF research team leader, Dr. Rinjan Shrestha, said -

It’s thrilling to actually see snow leopards—perhaps the most elusive of all the mountain species in the Himalayas—engage in behaviour we would otherwise only read about.

Adopt a Snow Leopard with WWF UK

The WWF is a non profit organisation who can only sustain their tireless work in saving the planet and its inhabitants through donations. You can help raise funds through the WWF Adopt a Snow Leopard scheme.

From as little as £3 a month you receive a certificate, a print of your animal, a greetings card, and a soft toy that would make a fantastic charity gift for a loved one.

> > Click here to Adopt an Snow Leopard with WWF UK

Truly amazing scenes last week, as WWF charity officials floated an 11 metre Western Grey whale down the River Thames to highlight the plight of one of the world’s most endangered species. With as little as 130 whales left on the planet, the Western Grey is becoming extremely close to extinction unless something is done immediately.

A critical whale feeding area is now under threat due to a new bank funded oil platform being built off the coast of Sakhalin Island in Russia. You can help try and persuade the banks to do the right thing by signing the WWF petition to tell the banks that are funding the build – BNP Paribas, Credit Suisse and Standard Chartered, that they need to help act to save the whales before it’s too late.

Simply click on the link below to sign the petition to help make a stand and try and save these beautiful giants of the sea, before it’s too late. I just did it and it literally takes less than a minute, which at this rate is how long the western Grey whale has left to live…

> > Click here to sign petition

Adopt an Animal with WWF UK

The WWF is a non profit organisation who can only sustain their tireless work in saving the planet and its inhabitants through donations. You can help raise funds through the WWF Adopt an Animal scheme.

From as little as £3 a month you receive a certificate, a print of your animal, a greetings card, and a soft toy that would make a fantastic charity gift for a loved one.

> > Click here to Adopt a Animal with WWF UK

WWF charity officials are asking for your support to stop Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) destroying any more rain forests in Sumatra. The company is currently the fastest growing brand of toilet paper in the America, and have been logging in Sumatra since 1984.

During that time, APP has pulped an estimated 5 million acres of forests, forests that are the last remaining natural habitat for Sumatran Tigers. With only around 400 left in the wild, consumers should not have to choose between tigers and toilet paper. Yet any responsible company should not source their tissue products in an area where the endangered inhabitants are close to extinction.

Please take a minute out of your day to sign the WWF pledge to help ensure a future for Sumatran forests and their inhabitants.

Simply click on the link below to choose Tigers, not toilet paper…

> > Click here to sign WWF pledge

Adopt a Tiger with WWF UK

The WWF is a non profit organisation who can only sustain their tireless work in saving the planet and its inhabitants through donations. You can help raise funds through the WWF Adopt a Tiger scheme.

From as little as £3 a month you receive a certificate, a print of your animal, a greetings card, and a soft toy that would make a fantastic charity gift for a loved one.

> > Click here to Adopt an Tiger with WWF UK

WWF charity officials were over the moon to discover 18 critically endangered Irrawaddy dolphins in Indonesian waters off the island of Borneo. The Irrawaddy dolphin has no beak and a snub dorsal fin, but looks very similar to the common bottlenose breed. The siting has seen the conservation group call for greater protection of the species’ habitat, as at the moment there are no comprehensive surveys available to measure its global population.

The WWF research team surveyed 260 kilometres of West Kalimantan, on Indonesia’s half of Borneo island, over 5 days and spotted the species travelling together in small groups. This proves that the dolphins’ habitat is still intact, but will require local cooperation if this is to remain so. Many marine species can often die entangled in nets, so local fishermen will need to be aware of the danger they may put the Irrawaddy dolphin in.

WWF conservation biologist, Albertus Tjiu, said -

In the past, locals and fishermen reported seeing the dolphins, but we have never recorded them until now. We call on all businesses operating in the area to act sustainably to conserve the mangroves as we expect to discover more dolphins when we finish the study.

Irrawaddy dolphins have been recorded before in the -

• Mekong River in Cambodia
• Ayeyawardi River in Myanmar
• Mahakam River of East Kalimantan

so these siting in West Kilimantan are great news. Indonesia is already home to some of the most biodiverse forest and marine ecosystems on the planet, but land conversion for paper and palm oil plantations threaten these areas., among others. Let’s hope WWF can manage to sustain this area for many years to come.

Adopt an Dolphin with WWF UK

The WWF is a non profit organisation who can only sustain their tireless work in saving the planet and its inhabitants through donations. You can help raise funds through the WWF Adopt a Dolphin scheme.

From as little as £3 a month you receive a certificate, a print of your animal, a greetings card, and a soft toy that would make a fantastic charity gift for a loved one.

> > Click here to Adopt an Dolphin with WWF UK

Love is in the air at the Aspinall Foundation‘s Howlett Animal Park near Canterbury, as fingers are being crossed that the two snow leopards will breed successfully this Valentine’s. First introduced to each other at the end of last year, this courtship is part of an ongoing breeding programme to ensure the continuation of this endangered species.

Snow leopards usually live in the mountain ranges of Central Asia stretching from Northwest China to Tibet and the Himalayas, not near Canterbury! Their fur works as camouflage in the high mountains as the dark blotches adapted naturally with the snow and rocks. Interestingly, in the  summer, their coat colour changes to a yellow grey to blend in with the surroundings.

Head of Section, Jim Vassie, said -

We introduced Ziva, our female, to Aksai, a male, in the latter part of 2011 and they appear to be getting on well but this is a slow process. Breeding programmes are vital in saving these beautiful cats, their numbers in the wild are in serious decline. Hunting or poaching for their pelts is not the only reason that these cats are now listed on the IUCN Red List as Endangered, as humans encroach on the leopards habitat, loss of wild prey has forced the leopards to hunt domesticated livestock, bringing them into direct conflict with local communities.

Poachers see the leopards’ fur as a highly prized trophy, and their continued hunting is a real threat to the existence of this species. You can join the fight to save the snow leopard by adopting one online with the Aspinall Foundation below.

Adopt a Snow Leopard with Aspinall Foundation

Each Keep Me Safe animal adoption from The Aspinall Foundation comes in a presentation box which includes a cuddly toy of your adopted snow leopard, fact sheet and £5 voucher accepted as part of entry cost to Howletts or Port Lympne Wild Animal Parks, plus -

• Animal PC wallpaper
• Animal e-factsheet
• E-certificate for your adopted animal
• Twice yearly update on your adopted animal by email.
• As well as one FREE entry to Howletts or Port Lympne Wild Animal Parks – so you can come and visit your animal!

> > Click Here to Adopt a Snow Leopard with the Aspinall Foundation

Did you know that a dog can give blood? Neither did I, until I found out about Stan, an amazing Guide Dog for the Blind who not only helps his owner get around, but also saves other dog’s lives by giving blood. He’s a wonder dog! Dogs can become ill and have accidents just like us humans, so therefore they need blood donors just the same as we do.

The national Pet Blood Bank organise donor collections at veterinary surgeries around the country, but dogs must reach the right criteria to be involved. A ‘donor dog’ must be between one and eight years of age, weigh over 25kg, and given full health checks and a blood test. Once these have all been taken, the dogs donate just under a pint of blood from the jugular. Once the blood is donated, the animals are given treats, a toy and a goody bag to take home with them! The blood is then processed and stored in Loughborough, ready to be sent out to vets across the UK.

Pet Blood Bank Coordinator, Fiona Stanbrook, said -

Stan is an absolute star donor. His negative blood type (all dogs are either positive or negative but only 30 per cent of canine donors are negative) means his blood can go to any dog with little risk of rejection.

Stan is a black Labrador retriever cross, and is the guide dog for 70-year-old Charles, who was born with congenital Retinosa Pigmentosa and macular dystrophy. His sight problems has not held Stoke based Charles back, as he is a trained social worker and is also responsible for teaching 120 blind and partially sighted clients in the local area. Stan is Charles’ 4th Guide Dog since 1983, and he really helps him to get around. Not just to work, but also to pick up his great grandchildren from school, and even to the gym!

Charles said -

When you’re working, you need to get around. I was visiting people in their homes using public transport and it’s so much easier with a guide dog. It’s quicker and the dog memorise the route – we would go to a house once and the dog would remember how to get back there.

Sponsor a Puppy with Guide Dogs for the Blind

Sponsor a Puppy is a fantastic way to support a young guide dog and follow it’s fascinating adventures during the different stages of it’s life. From just £5 a month, your donations will not only make a huge difference in a guide dogs progress, but also to the people who require these amazing animals help in their day to day lives.

The Recipient of the Charity Gift Gets -

• Special Offer – FREE Cuddly Toy – anyone who signs up to Sponsor a Puppy through our site will get a guide dog puppy soft toy
• Welcome Pack including a great Sponsor a Puppy gift certificate
• Exclusive Calendar featuring shots of Guide Dogs for the Blinds cute puppies.
• Puppy Updates get regular ‘Pupdates’ including photos at key stages of your puppy’s training

> > Click here to sponsor a puppy with Guide Dogs for the Blind

Aspinall Foundation keepers are over the moon thanks to a very kind donation from a local window firm. Valley Windows Ltd, who are very local to the Port Lympne Wild Animal Park near Ashford in Kent, have generously offered to replace the windows in the Malayan Tapir house, and they didn’t even send round a double glazing salesmen!

As a mark of appreciation to Valley Windows generosity, a commemorative plaque has been installed at the Tapir house, though whether the animals are aware of this kind gesture is anyone’s guess!

Head Keeper, Bob Savill, said -

The windows badly needed replacing, particularly now that we have young Kejutan. The last two winters here have been especially harsh so I am very grateful to Valley Windows for their generosity. Kejutan is the newest addition to our collection, it is imperative that the tapir house is kept at a comfortable temperature for him and the others. In the wild they would be living in a warmer rainforest environment.

The Malayan Tapir is under threat due to loss of their natural rainforest habitat in the wild. The Aspinall Foundation run a captive breeding programme at the Port Lympne Park to help protect the species. Even though the Malayan Tapir is difficult to breed, the park has had nine successful births, an amazing return for all the teams hard work and dedication.

Managing Director of Valley Windows, Rob Child,  said -

We were delighted to be able to help out by replacing the windows in the tapir house at Port Lympne. Now the tapirs can be warm and toasty this winter as these windows are A rated and made in our own factory – nothing is too good for these tapirs. It was very thoughtful of the park management to put up a plaque for us.

Adopt a Malayan Tapir with The Aspinall Foundation

Each Keep Me Safe animal adoption from The Aspinall Foundation comes in a presentation box which includes a cuddly toy of your adopted species, fact sheet and £5 voucher accepted as part of entry cost to Howletts or Port Lympne Wild Animal Parks, plus -

• Animal PC wallpaper
• Animal e-factsheet
• E-certificate for your adopted animal
• Twice yearly update on your adopted animal by email.
• As well as one FREE entry to Howletts or Port Lympne Wild Animal Parks – so you can come and visit your animal!

>> Click Here to Adopt a Malayan Tapir with the Aspinall Foundation

Guide Dogs for the Blind are over the moon with the news that a blind pensioner will be representing the area of Market Deeping and carrying the Olympic torch as part of the inaugural countrywide relay. 78 year old Shirley Waller, and her 5 year old Labrador Alfie, have been selected from literally thousands of hopefuls to walk a 300 yard stretch along Church Street in Market Deeping next summer.

Shirley, who is amazingly a great grandmother to five, was nominated to take part in the event by members of the South Lincolnshire Blind Society. Her part in the procession will take place on Wednesday 4th July 2012, with the Olympic committee promising to provide something special for her to wear on the day.

Shirley said -

I am not a lady who sits around and does nothing. Being blind should not be the end of your life and it’s opened doors for me. I do all sorts of voluntary work and fundraising. I am so excited that I am representing Market Deeping and all of the various groups I belong to. They told the organising committee that I was always doing things. I help with various fundraising events, and I go and sit and collect money in the perishing cold. They said I was a person who did not feel sorry for myself like a lot of blind people do. They say one door closes and another definitely opened for me.

Shirley became partially sighted after suffering from measles at just six years of age, but her sight became progressively worse as Shirley hit her 50′s. Then one day, she woke up and found herself completely blind, though this set back hasn’t stopped her from being really active thanks to the help of Alfie.

We look forward to seeing Shirley and Alfie showing that being blind does not have to hold you back, as they carry the Olympic torch through their hometown this summer.

Sponsor a Puppy with Guide Dogs for the Blind

Sponsor a Puppy is a fantastic way to support a young guide dog and follow it’s fascinating adventures during the different stages of it’s life. From just £5 a month, your donations will not only make a huge difference in a guide dogs progress, but also to the people who require these amazing animals help in their day to day lives.

The Recipient of the Charity Gift Gets -

• Special Offer – FREE Cuddly Toy – anyone who signs up to Sponsor a Puppy through our site will get a guide dog puppy soft toy
• Welcome Pack including a great Sponsor a Puppy gift certificate
• Exclusive Calendar featuring shots of Guide Dogs for the Blinds cute puppies.
• Puppy Updates get regular ‘Pupdates’ including photos at key stages of your puppy’s training

> > Click here to sponsor a puppy with Guide Dogs for the Blind