 A Born Free adoption is the gift that gives twice. From King the lion to the Brown Bear Orphans, there are 19 fabulous adoptions to choose from. All are real animals, either living in the wild and protected by Born Free's conservation projects or receiving expert lifetime care in the charity's sanctuaries. Besides adopting an animal, you can buy your Christmas gifts here too. A varying percentage of profits from sales, depending on product, go directly to Born Free, the international wildlife charity founded in 1984 by actors Bill Travers MBE and Virginia McKenna OBE. Adoption packs last one year. The recipient receives a gift pack, soft toy and a bi annual copy of Born Free’s Adopt magazine.
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Donkey Sanctuary Monopoly Game - Hot property! One of the most popular board games of all time given a Donkey Sanctuary makeover. (£29.95) Donkey Design Socks - Everybody loves socks for Christmas and The Donkey Sanctuary has a pair to suit everyone! Show off your love for donkeys with these fun ankle-length socks available in various colours, sizes and styles. (from £4.75) Sails and Canvas shopper bag with donkey ears logo This shopping bag was once part of the sail on a boat. It now has a new job as your next bag for life. (£48)  Stainless Steel Insulated Drinks Bottle with Donkey ears design. (£19.95) Watercolour ceramic mug Brighten up your beverage with this marvellous mug. Features delightful donkeys and dragonflies design. (£6.75) Donkey and Bird pack of 10 Christmas cards by James Green. Gorgeous woodcut-style picture featuring a donkey and strikingly scarlet robin in a wintry wood. (£3.95) Donkey Hoof Print Coir Door Mat (£15.95) Collapsible Dog Bowl in The Donkey Sanctuary’s colours of blue and brown (£12.95) Dougal The Doorstop Dougal will prop things open nicely, while looking utterly a-door-able.(£14.95) Watercolour Recycled Packable Shopping Bag with donkey design. (£5.95) Delightful Donkey design hanging basket bracket. Strong and attractive basket bracket. Something to add a bit of metallic magic to your garden. (£22.95) Key Rack with Donkey Design. (£10.95) Adopt a Donkey as a unique gift for £3 per month and your loved one will receive two portraits of their donkey, four beautiful postcards, adoption certificate, keepsake membership card and updates throughout the year. Most importantly, it helps The Donkey Sanctuary’s work in the UK and across the world.
See website for more details: https://www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/shop Dogs Trust asks the nation: is now really the right time for you to get a dog? Charity concerned about impending puppy crisis as online searches to ‘get a puppy’ rise by 120%  DogsTrust is asking the public to weigh up if they are actually ready for the realities of dog ownership before taking the leap, as searches to get a dog have shot up in the past month while the country is on lockdown. image (c) The Dogs Trust The charity is concerned there may be a spike in people giving up their dog when normality resumes and reality sinks in. This is the sad state of affairs that often follows Christmas when people also get dogs on a whim. Dog ownership can be rewarding, but caring for a dog when you are at home 24/7 is not the norm, so the charity is temporarily tweaking its famous slogan to ‘A Dog Is For Life, Not Just For Lockdown’ to get everyone to think twice before going ahead with a puppy purchase. In the long-term, are you ready…
Dogs Trust’s Chief Executive, Owen Sharp, said:
“Dog ownership can be so rewarding, but it’s also a huge responsibility which is why we are reminding people today that ‘A Dog Is For Life, Not Just For Lockdown’. Like Christmas, when people are at home more, they might think now is the perfect time to get a dog. For some people this will be the case, but we’re asking people to consider when the lockdown lifts how your life will need to change to accommodate your four-legged friend. We’re encouraging potential dog owners to carry out our test (see below) to find out if you’re Dog Ready. Are you ready to be chief pooper scooper? Are you ready to forego a lie in ever again? As well as more serious questions around vet treatment and preparing for emergencies. If there is still a dog- shaped space in your life, then it may be the right time for you.” Graham Norton, owner of Labradoodle Bailey, TV presenter and Dogs Trust supporter said: “As a dog owner myself, I know how much joy four-legged friends bring to our lives. I’ve certainly found that my gorgeous dog, Bailey, has taken the boredom out of lockdown for me, and I’ve really enjoyed spending even more time with him than usual. However, whilst the thought of introducing a cute, fluffy pooch to your family right now might be appealing, I fully support Dogs Trust’s important message, ‘A Dog Is For Life, Not Just For Lockdown’. Don’t forget that you still have to walk a dog on a rainy evening and pick up their poo in the dark! Please remember that life will go back to ‘normal’ at some point with people returning to work and school, and when this happens you need to think about whether you can still fit a dog into your life. Taking a look at Dogs Trust’s ‘are you dog ready’ test is a great place to start if you’re thinking seriously about getting a dog.” Dogs Trust are asking people to take the test and see how ‘dog-ready’ they actually are. If you think you are ready for a dog, although centres are closed to the public, rehoming is happening on a limited basis. Please see website for details. Take the fun test here. Known as 'Lucy’s Law' and named after Lucy, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who died in 2016 after being subjected to appalling conditions on a Welsh puppy farm, the legislation will mean that anyone looking to buy or adopt a puppy or kitten must now either deal directly with a breeder or visit an animal rehoming centre or shelter. Lucy’s Law means that puppies and kittens can no longer be sold by or through a third party; for example a commercial pet shop. Only breeders who have bred the animal themselves will be legally allowed to sell puppies and kittens to prospective pet owners, from the animal’s place of birth. This means that anyone looking to buy or adopt a puppy or kitten under six months old must either deal directly with a breeder, or an animal rehoming centre. Puppy sales will only legally be completed after they are eight weeks old from the home or environment in which they were born and within the presence of the breeder and the mother.  image (c) Mayhew Home
The ban will put an end to the early separation of puppies and kittens from their mothers, as well as the terrible conditions in which some animals are bred. Such practices can cause lifelong socialisation issues for the animals, as well as increasing the likelihood of them developing preventable diseases. Besides protecting and improving animals lives, the ban will also protect the public from being tricked by unscrupulous sellers and deter puppy smugglers who abuse the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) by bringing underage puppies into the UK, which are then sold on for financial gain. Mayhew’s support for Lucy’s Law The decision to ban third party sales follows years of high profile campaigning by animal welfare charities including Mayhew and was taken following a public consultation in 2018 that revealed a 95% support for the ban. Staff at an animal sanctuary have had to install security cameras in a bid to discover how a diminutive donkey kept escaping from her paddock. Bemused grooms at international animal welfare charity The Donkey Sanctuary were left dumbfounded after nine year old miniature donkey Tally managed to escape from her paddock on an almost daily basis to munch on lush grass nearby. Although staff stepped up daily patrols to see if they could spot Tally in the act, the equine escapologist always evaded being caught. Tally’s paddock, shared with 10 other miniature donkeys, was divided by an electric fence, but every morning Tally would be found on the other side of the fence munching on the long grass. After weeks of head-scratching, the team at the Devon-based charity decided to take drastic action and installed close circuit television. It wasn't long before the herd’s Houdini was caught red-hooved. Footage revealed Tally simply ducking under and lifting the wire over her back, seemingly unaffected by the mild shock from the fence. The team found that Tally was coming to no harm during her escapades and as the paddock she was escaping into was secure, they decided to turn a blind-eye to her adventures. The Donkey Sanctuary’s Maxine Carter explained: “In all my years looking after donkeys I’ve never come across any animal so good at escaping as Tally. We tried everything to try and stop her getting out of her paddock but she out-thought us every time. She’s making a real name for herself. If she were human, you’d probably be saying ‘lock her up’ because she’s been into every sweet shop going, gorging on all the goodies!
We’ve thought up different ways to try to stop her having free-rein to the longer grass, but she’s found the knack and at the end of the day, that’s where she wants to be and that’s where she’s happy, so we just need to keep an eye on her.” Miniature donkeys originate from Sardinia and Sicily. They are a separate donkey breed in their own right, generally no higher than 91 cm. Tally, along with her miniature donkey friends can be visited at the The Donkey Sanctuary’s Sidmouth site in Devon and people can also keep an eye on her antics by logging on to the live webcam. images (c) The Donkey Sanctuary |
