I am constantly inspired by the animals we rescue – their loyalty, courage, resilience, love for family and lust for life, so I wanted to update on an inspirational lioness, Sasha from Guatemala, who returned from hospital this week.

It seems the world has thrown just about everything at dear Sasha, but it has never broken her spirit. I first met her in the circus in Guatemala, she was intrigued by us as we measured her cage, preparing to rescue her. She was limping, and clearly in pain. Our veterinarian got the background from the owners; they had performed a brutal ‘declawing’ operation to cut off her toes to stop her claws growing, and in the process one toe was crushed.

We took her to our Temporary Rescue Unit (TRU) where our veterinary team could take X-rays, take blood tests, and examine the damage. They found the crushed toe had been infected in the past and performed field surgery to remove the toe. Examination of the bone and tissues discovered something worse, a cancer had spread up the bone in her leg. They cleared out any sign of infection and said this would have to wait to be done in a hospital. She would have medication for the pain and to prevent further infection until we could get home to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary in South Africa. Lions power themselves on their front legs, driving themselves forward – it is harder to cope without a foreleg than a hind leg.

Once she was settled in at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary and Dr Caldwell had studied the reports and x-rays from the veterinary team in Guatemala, he performed ground-breaking surgery to remove the damaged bone, replacing it with a titanium implant. Since then, Sasha has been pain-free. Her limp remains, but Dr Caldwell explained this is due to the shortening of her tendons from years of limping, she is not uncomfortable and has a full range of movement, she can run and leap up onto her platforms.

Sasha is a tough, resilient lioness, she has always been very special. Many remember her facing off with the equally feisty Tanya next door in the TRU in Guatemala. She can also be very demanding and has been dubbed ‘Princess Sasha’ by her carers at ADIWS – she likes her meals delivered in the cool of the evening, she takes her own time to do anything, people must wait. This was on display at the hospital when it was time to come home. Johannes attempted to lure her into her travel crate, but she just lay down in the entrance, yawning (she enjoyed the treats in hospital). Eventually, Dr Caldwell had to sedate her to be loaded for the journey home.

She was in hospital after our team started to spot tell-tale signs that she was having issues with her eyesight. Sadly, the prognosis is not good.  An examination by the ophthalmologist revealed retinal degeneration resulting in night blindness, very limited vision and no peripheral vision. Although the primary cause is age-related, this will have been exacerbated by a lifetime of inadequate diet, lacking in nutrition, in the circus.

It seems so unfair that our brave lioness who has endured so much, must face another challenge.

It is the nature of these animals not to reveal signs of vulnerability, and it is now clear that her eyesight has been deteriorating for some time, although she had given no indication, and has adapted to cope. Even on her return, Sasha thoroughly checked out her habitat and leapt effortlessly onto her raised platform.

The news from the ophthalmologist was not what we had hoped for, but Dr Caldwell agreed that Sasha clearly still enjoys a good quality of life, exploring, using her platforms, sitting alongside her brothers Kimba and Tomas in the habitat next door. She is not giving up, and neither will we.

Currently she is navigating all of the 2.5 acre Jacque Habitat confidently.  We will watch, and make adaptations as needed.  Many will know how important it is for cats to have contact with their families, they love to touch and give affectionate head bumps. I find it so sad that Sasha cannot have that contact with her brothers, because she feels vulnerable, which makes her behave badly. When she spent time with Kimba, she kept beating him up, so we had to keep a fence between them – but they do love to lie next to each other.  I feel sure now that this was her feeling blind-sided by her failing peripheral vision.

So, we are going to see what we can do to adapt the fence between their habitats – remove the current fencing and make a reinforced section between her and her brothers, to allow protected contact. They would be able to rub and nuzzle against the fence, without any risk of her hurting the boys, and she would feel secure.

Sasha left her circus cage and crossed the world to come home to Africa – your support made that possible. I hope you will continue to support us in 2026 as we continue to care for Sasha and the others in our ADIWS family. 

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A huge “Thank You” to our wonderful ADI supporters who have contributed to our special Giving Tuesday appeal – including setting up their own fundraisers!  Our target for the New Arrivals Reception Area at ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, to provide care and shelter for rescued wildlife suitable for release, such as antelope and tortoises, as well as domestic species, is: $44,310 / £33,650.

We have raised $16,599.04, so far, and thanks to a generous matching grant from a Sanctuary Founder, this has been doubled to $33,198.08 – we are almost there!

If we can raise a final $10,660 this weekend, we will pass the finish line!  Can you help?

This new facility with paddocks and stables/night houses will ensure we can continue to come to the aid of confiscated and injured wildlife and abused domestic animals. ADIWS is performing an increasingly important role, in helping to enforce animal protection laws and fight wildlife traffickers.

In our new arrivals’ reception area, we can treat and help a range of species, such as tortoises, antelope, birds, as well as pigs, cows, donkeys and others. A series of paddocks, with stables or night houses, will help suffering animals to recuperate. Those well enough can be released into the wild on our property, others needing lifelong care can roam free during the day, returning to the secure night houses or stables at night.

For many animals, we are the only lifeline in our region of South Africa and so we can play a vital role in education about care and respect for animals, in raising awareness, strengthening, and enforcing animal protection laws.

Can you spare something today for the suffering horses, donkeys, pigs and wildlife of South Africa? Donate US $, CA $ | Donate UK, Euros, Rand 

One more push to build our reception units will protect animals in need.

Today is Giving Tuesday and I would like to start with a huge Thank you to everyone who has already contributed to our new reception area at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary for domestic animals and wildlife like tortoises and antelope.

Lions Coralie and Goliath, from a circus in France, have settled into their new home in Africa but were not the only new residents we welcomed to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary (ADIWS) this year. Two more donkeys joined our herd, as well as geese, a peacock, tortoises and three calves, as we are increasingly asked to help with cruelty cases and tackling wildlife traffickers.

The story of a little calf, we named Bahati, found tied up so tightly in the back of a pick-up truck that she was struggling to breathe, highlighted the importance of this work, not just for the individual animal but if animal protection laws are to be effectively enforced in South Africa. If you missed it, you can read my report here.

It’s possible that the ten donkeys at ADIWS have the best life of all the animals, freely roaming hundreds of acres, even wandering in and out of buildings under construction!  Our horses roam freely during the day and come in during the evenings to be fed in their paddock and our merry band of sheep goats and cows led by Matilda are led up to our north field to graze in the day and come back to their enclosure for the night.

We currently have over 100 tiny tortoises in our nursery, while we have released numerous large tortoises on our sanctuary site to wander freely. These magnificent animals that can live up to 100 years old are indigenous to the region but are trafficked to be eaten, the shell used for trinkets or used in muthi (traditional medicine).

Unfortunately, we have reached a point where we cannot take any more animals without expanding our facilities.

Even with the wildlife, like tortoises and antelope that we plan to return to the wild or release on the sanctuary, we need a place to receive and assess them. That’s why this Giving Tuesday, we are raising the funds for a new Non-Predator Reception Area with four 1,600sqft paddocks and four 9,000sqft paddocks.  Each with a stable/shelter and water supply enabling us to receive and assess animals as they arrive.

For animals who roam the Sanctuary, this will also provide night and feeding quarters. For others, it may be a temporary home where they receive care before returning to the wild.

Our target is $44,310 / £33,650 and the good news is we are well on the way.

Thanks to one of our ADIWS Founders who has kindly offered a $25,000 / £18,000 MATCHING GRANT for this project, every donation up to this has been doubled.

Will you help us hit our target TODAY?

Whatever you can give, will make a massive difference for animals in desperate need.

Please help in any way you can: Donate US $, CA $ | Donate UK, Euros, Rand | Donate to our Facebook Fundraiser

In four days’ time it is Giving Tuesday one of the most important days of the year on our fundraising calendar and the story of little Bahati will explain why this year we have a very special appeal.

Our ADI Wildlife Sanctuary may have been built for the lions and tigers we rescue as we secure more and more bans on animal circuses, but it has also become a beacon of hope for countless other animals.

Our rescued animal family has grown to include dogs, horses, donkeys, cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys, geese, a peacock, and 115 rescued baby tortoises currently in our nursery with many adults released on site.  We are playing a vital role in enforcing cruelty laws and cracking down on animal trafficking in a region where that is desperately needed.

When animals are being seized from abusers who are being prosecuted there is often simply nowhere for them to go and that was how it was for little Bahati.

During an investigation about monkey being illegally kept, the local Virginia SPCA came across a horrific sight. A young calf left tied up in the back of a pick-up truck, so tightly bound that she was struggling to breathe.

The SPCA called us. We helped untie the calf and released her next to Matilda the cow and her family of sheep and goats. As soon as Matilda saw her, she rushed over and took on the role of foster mom/mum. Two days later, we found the young calf calmly grazing with Matilda and family; she had climbed the fence!

Cruelty charges have been brought against two men and we are hopeful they will be convicted. Another small but important victory as South African animal protection legislation edges forward.

We have named the little calf “Bahati” – Swahili for ‘lucky’.

We are sure you will agree, animals like Bahati and others deserve a second chance, and it is important to enforce anti-cruelty laws – our sheep saved as they were taken to be brutally sacrificed at a political rally; Waldo the goose saved from a tiny cage made from a shopping trolly; horses Apollo, Amani and Crockett rescued after being cruelly hobbled to immobilize them.

However, group of non-predator rescues is now so large, with such a variety of species, and we have reached the point where, without facilities for new arrivals, we will no longer be able to help.

This Giving Tuesday, we are therefore asking for funds a new Non-Predator Reception Area with four 1,600sqft paddocks four 9,000sqft paddocks.  Each with a stable/shelter and water supply enabling us to receive and assess animals as they arrive.

For animals who roam the Sanctuary, this will also provide night and feeding quarters. For others, it may be a temporary home where they receive care before returning to the wild.

We need to raise $44,310 / £33,650. Can you help?

We cannot hit our target without your help, please give what you can today and get us well on the way for giving Tuesday.

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Thank you for helping others like Bahati.

Around the world, hundreds of millions of wild animals are abducted, slaughtered and tortured for profit.  

This week representatives from 185 countries, signatories to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) are meeting in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, for the 20th Conference of Parties (CoP). These government representatives will make life or death decisions about wildlife, including elephants, rhinos, sharks, reptiles, big cats and many others. 

The legal and illegal in wildlife trade includes any activity related to capturing, poaching, importing, exporting or laundering of live or dead animals or their body parts, or other flora and fauna. Trade now reaches unsustainable levels. The illegal wildlife trade is generally ranked as the 4^th largest transnational crime globally, after the trafficking of drugs, humans and weapons. 

Whilst accurately depicting the levels of trade is difficult due to the sheer scale of the industry, the impacts on species and whole ecosystems is detrimental.Poaching and the illegal trade decimate wildlife populations, with the legal trade complicating enforcement, incentivizing poaching and even increasing demand. Despite purported claims, trophy hunting is not conservation. True conservation is protecting animals in the wild and allowing them to live their natural lives.  

Please ACT NOW ahead of CITES CoP. Urge your elected representative, or member of parliament or congress to press for more support for wildlife protection at CoP20. We have a template letter you can use here or write your own. Find your local representative here. 

SUPPORT proposals to: 

• Increase measures to protect great apes. Thousands of these endangered creatures are killed every year.  
• Increase protections for sharks and rays. The species continue to be threatened by over-exploitation for parts, primarily fins, as well as gill plates and liver oil. 
• Increase protections for songbird species. Increasing demand for these species as part of the songbird trade is decimating populations. 
• Increase protections for sloths. High demand for sloths as exotic pets and for tourist trade has led to increased illegal capture which is impacting wild populations. 

OPPOSE proposals to: 

• Remove protections for elephants and rhinos to allow trade in their horns, and trophy hunting.  
• Remove protections for giraffes, whose numbers are declining, due to human exploitation, habitat loss, and trade. 
• Remove protections for peregrine falcons. The species continues to face threats from illegal trade for the falconry market where removing controls would dismantle the safeguards that have enabled species recovery in many regions. 

Please help them and contact your government representative today. 

Thank you for speaking out for the animals. To support our campaigns for wildlife, donate here. 

To receive periodic updates and action alerts from ADI via email, sign up here. 

Christmas is just a few weeks away but there’s still time to buy cards and gifts from ADI that will help our rescued animals and campaigns.  Browse and shop here: US store | UK store

Our ADI Animal Rescue Calendar 2026 might just be our best yet, with twelve beautiful images including our cover star Max (above) who was rescued from a circus in Guatemala with his family and Shujaa (top) who was saved from the illegal trophy pet trade in Kuwait. A different picture to enjoy each month with a full page for appointments below. Don’t just take our word for it, supporters have been describing it as “stunning,” “pure purr-fection” and “beautiful!’

Canvas prints of inspirational animals. Available in two different sizes, we have over 50 images of these amazing animals who have inspired us all including Aziza, Saham, Rey Cusco and Coralie (above) and many, many more like Cholita, Scarc, Simba, Tarzan and Tanya.

Greetings cards: We have a range of cards from traditional Christmas designs to those featuring our rescued animals (like Coralie and Goliath rescued this year).  Some cards are blank so can be used all the year round.

Wear our campaign messages. ADI’s Teemill clothing range includes t-shirts, hoodies and bags in a number of popular designs. Kind to the environment, products are printed on demand and sustainably made with organic cotton.

Show your support for our Stop Circus Suffering campaign and rescues in our Bonfire store. Remember Ruben, celebrate Coralie and Goliath, or start conversations with our Stop Circus Suffering and Everything is Possible apparel. All available as hoodies, t-shirts, and tank tops.

Don’t forget their presents! We have only the best catnip toys including a mini version, especially for smaller feline friends, of the giant catnip bags that the lions and tigers love so much at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary.  Plus we have dog toys and even a natural shampoo bar to give their coat a natural healthy shine.

For other cruelty free products, including vegan candles and soaps, and gifts for the home, you can find more on our UK store here.

Animal adoptions to support their care.  A gift adoption helps support the care of our rescued animals. The lucky recipient will receive a personalized adoption certificate, a beautiful photograph of their adopted animal (like Moon and Saif), and our ADI Rescuer newsletters. Adoptions of any of our rescued tigers and lions are available on our US store here | UK store here.

With your support, we can provide a wonderful life that is as close to nature as we can possibly provide for our Sanctuary residents, and work to protect others in need.

Help animals while you shop our ADI store: US | UK

Thanks to our wonderful supporters, our rescued lions and tigers are still enjoying Halloween treats two weeks on! To see how much they have been having, check them out here – watch them in action here.

Please send your love for Sasha who is currently under observation in hospital and waiting for an examination from the ophthalmologist. In September, she was diagnosed with early stage cataracts in both eyes and the Resident Welfare Team have been concerned that she is having difficulty seeing. If she is starting to have difficulties with her sight we will adapt her care accordingly.

She’s certainly faced some challenges. Prior to her rescue from a circus in Guatemala, Sasha had a toe crushed in a cruel declawing operation and developed bone cancer in her leg. Dr Caldwell performed ground-breaking surgery to replace the cancerous bone with a titanium implant.

Simba, one of the lions we rescued emptying the circuses in Peru, also had a hospital stay after suffering from a nosebleed. Dr Caldwell found a large soft tissue mass that could be causing the nosebleeds, but it is not something which can be tackled clinically. The elderly lion has several chronic health issues related to his former circus life, including arthritis and spondylosis of the neck but continues to enjoy his golden years at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary. Perhaps the best moment of the past month was all the head rubbing, kissing, and nuzzling when Simba was reunited with brother Rey on his return from hospital. Check it out here.

Good news: Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs Angela Eagle MP announced “this is the final year of industry-led [badger] culling in England’s high risk and edge areas” and that “only one licensed cull will remain”. This follows a recent public petition which prompted a parliamentary debate. A huge step forward for wildlife and effective disease control.

Elephant and camel rides are back at the Texas Renaissance Festival in Todd Mission every weekend until the end of the month. Their long-time ride supplier is locally-based Trunks & Humps, exposed by ADI investigators shocking, hooking, and beating an elephant. These animals spend extended periods, chained, tethered and shut in transporters. Please contact the festival at info@texrenfest.com or 281-356-2178 and politely urge them to end elephant and other wild-animal rides and performances. Email usa@ad-international.org for materials if you can host a protest.

ADI’s team in Colombia are pleased to report that Bill 006/24, making bestiality a criminal offence, has been unanimously approved in the Senate Plenary and moves to the House of Representatives. The bill also seeks to prevent the publication of images which encourage bestiality in digital media – which is reportedly on the rise.

The Polish parliament, the Sejm, has voted to ban fur farming and this goes before the Senate and the President for final approval. Poland is currently the world’s fourth-largest exporter of fur, and the bill will give breeders until the end of 2033 to wind down operations and apply for compensation. Many will remember the harrowing images of from ADI’s investigation of the country’s fur farms which led to the prosecution of one fur farmer.

The United Nations report that CO2 levels in our atmosphere have spiked to 424ppm – the highest increase since measurements began in 1957 – increasing fears that global action against climate change is stalling despite the serious consequences already being felt worldwide. The crisis isn’t just about fossil fuels; wildfires, driven by hotter, drier conditions, have also played a major role, especially in the Americas. Reducing emissions is crucial not only for the climate, but for our future – find out how you can reduce your carbon footprint.

It wasn’t just Simba who was recently in the hospital. Our beloved sanctuary rescue dog Milo also paid a trip to Dr Caldwell. Milo appears to have got a large thorn or wood splinter stuck in his leg during his romps around the sanctuary with the other dogs Freya and Rollo. Dr Caldwell removed this and sent Milo home with the challenging instruction for the sanctuary team to “Keep Milo quiet for the next 48 hours!” Needless to say Rollo and Freya gave him a hero’s welcome on his return.

A young cygnet killed in a catapult attack has increased calls for tougher laws on the, currently unregulated, sale of these weapons. Swans, ducks, gulls, cats and dogs have all suffered injuries. The government is being called on to introduce restrictions on sales, tougher penalties and greater police powers to act. Sign this petition banning the sale of catapults and contact your MP.

Growler Pines Tiger Preserve in Hugo, Oklahoma says it has closed after handler Ryan Easley (linked to ‘Tiger King’ Joe Exotic) was killed by a tiger during a show and that the animals have already been relocated to facilities which share ‘similar values’. No further information on where the animals have gone is currently available.

After decades of animal suffering, with 100 deaths including that of orca Lolita, the Florida marine park has finally shut down. Ae relocation plan for the animals has yet to be released. Please contact the aquarium owners, The Dolphin Company, and politely urge them to send the remaining animals to sanctuary. Call +52 (998) 881-7400 and email rpublicas@thedolphinco.com.

In the US, urge your Congress members to support the reintroduction of the SWIMS (Strengthening Welfare in Marine Settings) Act. This would ban taking from the wild and breeding of orcas, beluga whales, pilot whales and false killer whales (part of the dolphin family), for public display. It would also ban their import and export, with exemptions for transportation to sanctuaries and the wild.

In Canada, another beluga whale & harbor seal have died at Marineland, Niagara Falls, Ontario. Since 2019, dozens of marine mammals have perished under conditions shrouded in secrecy, followed by calls for the survivors to be placed in sanctuaries. If you live in Canada, please send a polite message to Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson and urge the Canadian government to send the remaining 30 belugas to a seaside sanctuary.

A new UK study has found that people who follow a plant-based diet can lower their risk of type 2 diabetes by 32% – and at the same time, shrink their food-related carbon footprint by nearly 20%.

Food systems – especially meat and dairy – are major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing meat in our diets could not only cut emissions drastically but also free up land for biodiversity and reforestation. Eating for your health and the environment isn’t a sacrifice – it’s a double win and kind to animals too!

Third Time Lucki died after suffering a fatal injury on the first day of racing. The veterinary assessment showed an irreparable injury. Horses should not be forced to risk injury or death for entertainment. It’s time to end this cruel industry. Do not attend or bet on horse races.

45 countries have banned the testing of cosmetics on animals, yet although some states have unilaterally passed bans, the cruel, archaic tests remain legal across most of the United States. While the FDA recently announced a policy to replace the use of animals in experiments with advanced, human-relevant methods, this does not apply to cosmetics testing. The Humane Cosmetics Act is urgently needed to bring the US into the 21st century on this issue. Can you help us pass the Humane Cosmetics Act? Take action here.

Our live broadcasts from the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary have been a huge hit on social media platform Facebook and we are pleased to report that you can catch up on recordings of these on YouTube. For many ADI supporters winter is fast approaching and the leaves are falling from the trees, so you might enjoy seeing Spring arriving at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, South Africa during an hour long live tour this month. watch here.

2025 was the year of Goliath and Coralie who swapped a circus cage in France for life at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary in May. We’ve marked the moment with a special card, available as a pack of 10, showing them back in the land of their ancestors. An image of the pair also features in our 2026 ADI Animal Rescue Calendar alongside eleven other great images that will put a smile on your face throughout the coming year. Remember, all sales from our online store help animals, check out our UK store | US store.

With your support we can continue our life-saving work for animals. Thank you.
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A large, mature tree has collapsed into two enclosures at Pilpintuwasi in Peru, causing severe damage. The black capuchins and one white capuchin all escaped, but thankfully, did not go far, and were quickly brought back.

Work has begun to cut down and clear out the damaged tree, but we urgently need funds to begin huge repairs to the enclosures.

Thanks to our supporters, we were able to build a complex of monkey habitats at Pilpintuwasi for the dozens of primates rescued during our epic Operation Spirit of Freedom mission in Peru, ten years ago.

While they were being cared for at the ADI Temporary Rescue Unit, we undertook one of the most challenging construction projects we have ever faced. Our priority was to preserve the trees and as much of the natural environment as possible inside the habitats. In the white capuchin habitat, we were able to incorporate a small stream by sinking the fence into the rocks, so they could enjoy having a stream running through their habitat.

We took the first 39 primates, coati mundis, and kinkajous – cut from chains in circuses, restaurants, and taken from wildlife traffickers – back to their natural environment in the rainforest. Revisit their journey home:

We incorporated the trees into the habitats to make their new homes as close as possible to the life in the wild they lost. We reunited them with their own kind, ending their loneliness, creating families, and allowing them to swing through the trees and be monkeys again. These monkeys can never return to the wild due to the abuse they have suffered, including broken teeth and other injuries. Our sanctuary habitats in the forest gave them a lifeline.

There is something magical about seeing our rescued monkeys home, in the Amazon rainforest. Climbing through the trees, watching butterflies, swinging on ropes, picking through the undergrowth, tasting everything, finding treats, always so inquisitive, examining anything new, grooming each other, chattering and just being together with their new families.

The physical and emotional damage they have suffered means these monkeys will need special care for the rest of their lives. Some may live for as long as 30 years. That’s why I need your help today.

Can you help with a donation today to repair their precious home? Please donate here to support our urgent appeal.

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With your help, we can ensure our rescued monkeys stay safe, and we can provide a home to others in need, in the future.

Happy Halloween from all of the ADI team and our rescued animals. Special thanks to everyone who sponsored Halloween treats this year.  The pumpkins, catnip sacks and boxes were all greeted with great enthusiasm!

Seeing our residents having so much fun is a reminder of what you have made possible through your support of ADI – emptying the circus cages in countries like Peru, Colombia and Guatemala; taking on the wildlife pet trade: and keeping animals out of hunters’ sights.  Thanks to you, they swapped real-life horror stories for bliss at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary.
 
Enjoy all the fun in our 2025 Halloween video. 

There’s another video I think you’ll enjoy. Last week, I told you that seniors Simba and Rey A had been reunited after Simba’s return from hospital. Watch as the boys affectionately greet each other and don’t miss the final terrific scene a few days later, still showing just how much they mean to each other.

These videos are fun but show a vital part of what we do at ADI, giving these animals back their lives with space, natural habitats, enrichment to express themselves, and wherever possible the company of their own kind. None of it is possible without your support. Thank you.

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