The 13 October 2020 is a HUGE day for Apes.

It’s a chance to dig into all our pockets and to help make a difference to them. 

The Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries have a global day of giving, which is supporting 37 qualified sanctuaries and rescue centres.

The 37 centres all provide rehabilitation or long-term care for apes in Africa, Asia and North America.

Giving Day for Apes first took place in 2014 and ever since it’s been helping to raise awareness for ape conservation.  It’s helped sanctuaries and rescues, raising money for ape care and advocacy.

And in the six years since that first event, over $2 million have been raised.

So what’s happening in 2020?

The goal:  to raise $500,000.

On the 13^th October, qualified sanctuaries and rescue centres compete on leaderboards to raise the most money for their cause and win prizes generously given by sponsors.

See the ape organisations taking part  - please donate to one, or if you can't donate, share and spread the word. 

Who are the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries?

It’s an international accrediting body for sanctuaries, rescues and rehabilitation centres.

It helps sanctuaries “to help animals through accreditation, collaboration, mentoring, and the development of greater recognition and resources for sanctuaries worldwide.”

Visit the Giving Day for Apes website here

Don't miss this: 

On Monday 12 October at 9pm on ITV, the comedian John Bishop follows two beluga whales as they are released an entertainment park in China, where they were being held in captivity.

The whales are returned to the wild after an epic journey to the Icelandic beluga whale sanctuary.

This is a two part series and you can see the second episode on Tuesday 13 October, also at 9pm.

Find out more about the programme here 

Find out about the Beluga Whale Sanctuary here 

Support Little White and Little Grey here.

Help whales:

Whale and Dolphin Conservation (UK)

Whale and Dolphin Conservation (US)

Whale Conservation

Pacific Whale Foundation

Ocean Alliance - Whale Research and Conservation

Galapagos Conservation Whale Shark Project

Great Whale Conservancy

ORCA - protecting whales in UK and European waters

Donkeys in Pakistan need help

The Brooke have been in touch about donkeys in Pakistan who needed help.  They work in the coal mines there.

Each day, Sunall’s donkeys make 12 exhausting trips to collect coal from the deep, dark mine.

The trips take an hour each.  Each donkey carries 100kg of coal. The donkeys gasp for breath because of the coal dust.

The donkeys often wound themselves in the mines, from the sharp edges in the tunnels.  They can get lame. The mines are cramped.  Temperatures are often as high as 50°C. 

But this year, supporters of The Brooke have donated an amazing £16,750 this year to help the coal mine donkeys.

That means that Sunall now knows how to reduce the risk of injury to the donkeys.  He knows how to keep them healthy. He says: “Now when my animals are not working I let them roam free so they can roll around and drink from the trough and graze”.

Without his donkeys, Sunall’s family wouldn’t be able to eat and his children wouldn’t be able to go to school.

There are thousands of donkeys in Pakistan working in coal mines. 

The Brooke wants to raise £50,000 so that they can help more donkeys, by embedding good animal welfare standards in Pakistan’s communities and providing first aid training.

Please donate now to help protect more overworked donkeys.