EDUCATIONINACTION
CONSERVATION IN ACTION CONT .
The Retreat Animal Rescue ( www . retreatanimalrescue . org . uk ) in High Halden ’ s motto is ‘ Be kind , it ' s easy ’ and they are doing an incredible job of not just talking the talk but also walking the walk ; having rescued over 20,000 animals over a 30 year period . The animal rescue has over 1,250 animal residents that call the rescue home , every single one abused , disabled or hurt in some way .
The team at The Retreat always have the intention of rehoming the animals in their care once they have recovered from their previous lives , but if finding a suitable forever home doesn ’ t work out then they will simply enjoy the wonderful rolling fields of The Retreat for the rest of their lives , taken care of , well fed and loved .
Their mission is to put a permanent stop to the continued exploitation , abuse and violence towards defenceless animals in today ' s world . So they are continually working towards educating the public that animals are our friends , and should be respected and upheld as the beautiful , majestic and hilarious creatures they are . There have been a few exciting new additions to The Retreat family recently , including Abbie , the dinky calf who lost her eye , and her best cow-friend Panda who often suffered from colic as a baby . There is also tiny little Peanut , the adorable piglet who was sadly abandoned in a shoebox on a doorstep ; luckily she has found a home and a loving family at The Retreat . Founder and project director Billy Thompson , assured us that unfortunately this is an endless cycle at the 24 / 7 rescue , so there is no better time than now to help such a worthwhile charity . Help The Retreat double in size by donating to their GoFundMe page ( www . gofundme . com / f / help-us-help-them-more ), by volunteering , ( www . retreatanimalrescue . org . uk / volunteer ) or by simply coming and visiting the animals which is free to do .
If you are a cat person , this next charity will be right up your alley . The Big Cat Sanctuary ( thebigcatsanctuary . org ) has all the oversized furry friends you ’ ll ever need , including cheetahs , jaguars , lions and leopards , plus a few smaller versions including fluffy little pallas and big eared servals . Set in 32 acres of stunning grass land , the Smarden-based sanctuary ’ s aim is to provide a safe place with exceptional conditions for the successful breeding of these rare , endangered cats , and with Paul Hollywood recently joining the charitable team as an ambassador the charity is going from strength to strength .
Their vision is ‘ to assist in the conservation of the world ’ s endangered wild cats ’ while also preserving the integrity of their breeding programs . Their plan to achieve this mission is to provide education programs that ‘ promote the importance of biodiversity and the role of the top predators ’ to all their visitors as well as a research base for individuals involved in the study of big cats in captivity .
The Big Cat Sanctuary is dedicated to the conservation of wild cats , with the objectives of welfare , breeding , education and conservation . The initiatives undertaken are a vital part in saving some of the planet ’ s most endangered and iconic species from extinction .
The Sanctuary is proud to have contributed to co-ordinated global breeding programmes as well as donating to in-situ conservation projects . The centre offers personal big cat experiences including overnight stays , photography , ranger days and educational tours .
In short , education is key to the survival of so many of these majestic animals , and the more we all know , the more we can all make choices that make a positive impact on these endangered species . On 6th April 2021 Big Cat Sanctuary added a new little miracle to their family in the form of resident jaguars Keira and Neron ' s new baby cub . A rare black female jaguar , the little cutie recently received her final vaccinations and was ready to explore her home with mum and dad ! With bags of personality the endlessly curious ‘ Baby ’ settled into her new home by taking in all the new and interesting smells and playing with her mum . If you ’ d like to keep track of Baby , her parents and all the other big cats at the sanctuary , look out for their 2021 open days , or book one of the Big Cat experiences which start at £ 199 . Also be sure to indulge in a very special two person afternoon tea with recipes created exclusively by Paul Hollywood for The Big Cat Sanctuary . The tea , which starts at £ 120 per couple , is held in the conservatory which overlooks the sanctuary ’ s incredible African lion enclosure so you ’ ll be sure to see all the action !
THE RETREAT ANIMAL RESCUE
THE BIG CAT SANCTUARY
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