In April 2021 we have made two emergency vitamins payments! We have offered more, but the zoo had a more pressing need for the clean water basins, our micro project. We have focused on this project, which is almost completed, but have not lost sight of the vital food,water,vitamins, and medication needs!
May 2021 we are working with the zoo before their holiday to have payments and enough supplies on hand, as during the holiday period no work nor shops are open.
We have been fortunate in these difficult times that our supporters have donated and we can provide them with essential vitamins at this time. People ask why vitamins and not more food? In a war zone, the food is scarce so we must ensure we can provide life saving food but also vitamins and minerals. The animals receive 50% of daily food intake but A Lion's Heart ensure 100% vitamins,minerals, and vital clean water. We want to provide more food, but reality is that we can not always so we ensure their health is maintain with vitamins,minerals, and healthy clean water, and when additional food is available this is the priority.
5 years of caring and providing we are proud that we have not lost a single animals to hunger, sickness, or lack of care.
We thank not only the supporters, the zoo, but veterinarian, we have been able to keep them alive during the war time. We have created a monthly newsletter and have had a soft reboot of our adoption program, and had one lioness Zuhor adopted by another organization Lion'S Roar
We will provide more details in our next newsletter.
Thank you to our supporters.
A Lion's Heart
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Hello Fellow Lion Hearts,
First, I would like to thank everyone that has donated to this rescue mission. It is the life blood and life line to the Taiz animals and to the people who risk all to care for them. You are literally the key to our progress and success. However, we still need another push to complete our first goal of $5,000 USD for the new natural enclosures for the Taiz lions and Arabian leopards. So we need everyone on board and roaring for Taiz! Together our dream will be realized. We have survived the hard part in being granted government permission. With the war and the changing of governance, it proved difficult because we no longer had our known and proven relationship. It has been a process to gain a relationship with the new governance but well worth the effort. Everyone in the government and zoo is on board and desperately wants to get rid of the current cement cages and see the lions and Arabian leopards happier and in more natural conditions. Yes!, they will finally have grass underfoot, trees, and real sunshine on their backs and not just the sun's rays that peer through from the small spaces between the bars. I know that the archaic conditions have eaten away at each and every one of us but now we have the power to change it together. We have already moved mountains.https://www.alionsheart.org/our-work-in-action-in-taiz-zoo
Now I know our original plan was to send everyone to sanctuaries in South Africa and beyond. Our UK Coordinator and Contact, Katherine Pedinelli, spent countless hours and months securing wonderful sanctuaries for all 298 zoo residents. We, along with Chantal Jonkergouw and SOS Zoo and Bear Rescue, put on the biggest pressure campaign possible with worldwide media. Unfortunately, thanks to the war, CITES, and both of Yemen's warring governments, it was never and not possible in the end. Heartbreaking as it was, we have continued our devotion and efforts for these animals. It was a moral crime to us to abandon the imprisioned animals and let them die were they stood because of human decisions. So, we decided to stay and to fight for these embattled survivors.
Now, I know many did not have any idea of what laid ahead and truthfully, neither did I or how long. As Yemen has suffered from the brutality of war, and after four years, we all have become so attached and our hearts have suffered with them. No day has been easy but we have lasted and have kept almost 300 alive. Which almost none thought was possible. I still have my I am very concerned because this will break you letter from my friend at the IUCN. I understood his concern but I refuse to see animals in desperate need as lost cause. So, I am honored that so many beautiful souls felt the same and have continued on this extraordinary journey with me. We made the impossible, possible together. We are so very close to not only keeping them alive but giving them much more than just an existence but a real life and the respect and compassion they all deserve. I am attaching enclosure requirements from Big Cat:to give everyone an idea of where we are heading for the lions and Arabian leopards in Taiz. https://bigcatrescue.org/exotic-cat-standards/
We have made many changes but more progress coming for the animals. If you do not follow us on Facebook or subscribe to our newsletter on our website, please do, for more frequent updates. We will be filming and photographing all new zoo progress as soon as we start the enclosures. If you prefer less frequent updates, we will still have our GlobalGiving progress reports, such as this one and you will still see our ongoing and new progress. I have so much faith that we, together, will make our next report title, "Dreams Do Come True for the Taiz Animals".
Thank you all again for your time, generosity, and hearts for these precious animals. You remain their hope and light.
Amy
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Hello to All Our Supporters,
First, I would lke to thank each and everyone that has so generously participated in supporting this project The Taiz Zoo Rescue and Conserve Mission. It has been such a lifeline to animals that only have us standing between them and death. Your generosity and support has allowed us to provide food, water, medications and critical care to them. We manged to repair two outdoor enclosures. This accoplishment allowed a caracal and a small pride of lions to experience grass beneath their feet for the first time in their lives. Every lion and most of the Arabian leopards has known nothing but cement and bars their entire lives. Their only escape was death. It was just ignorance that put them there and their caretakers just did not know any better but we ave changed this with education. Every keeper is now embarassed and heartbroken and are desperate to change the lives of the animals for the better. We continue to support and educate. Because of you, we are able to feed, water, and medicate almost 300 animals in Taiz zoo. Thank you never seems enough. We could do nothing without your generosity and shares.
Which is why this report update is so special. We have been granted permission by the honorable Mr. Ghazi and the government of Taiz and Yemen to build two state of the art species appropiate natural outdoor large enclosures for the lions and Arabian leopards. Too many have never felt the grass beneath their feet, the sun on their backs. It is past time we give this to them. I has been our dream form the beginning and now, with your help, it will be a reality. We need about $3,000 USD more to get started but I know we can do this together.
Once we get started, all progress will be documented. Everyone will have a front seat to finally releasing Taiz's and Arabian leopards from their dungeons. This is permanent change for this zoo. Never agan will they live and die in cold cement with cruel bars. We do plan on leaving one to educate the public. Every visitor will walk in and be told this is your life. You will live your entire life in this space. I will be a permanent reminder to never go back. The best part is this is only the beginning. Our new goal is to make Taiz the template of turning a bad zoo into a jewel of animal welfare and conservation. This is not just talk, it is a reality in progress.
We have already created miracles. You can see the unbelievable progress from our before and after pictures attached. So, let us keep going and get them all out!
I am just so grateful to you all! You truly are lion hearts.
Amy
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Hello Lion Hearts!
First, I would like to thank each and every person that has donated to our project to support and help the Taiz zoo animals. We were able to send over $7,000 from Global Giving alone and it bought food, water, and desperately needed medications. It has been a true lifeline to all 286 Taiz zoo residents. However, I know our goals this year are much higher and we have been moving forward on achieving a better life for our zoo family.
We are currently in talks with Mr. Ghazi and the Taiz governance. It has become clear that we all must work in unison together to once again bring light to the plight of the Taiz zoo animals. A post here and there from Taiz zoo is not good enough. We want to have a weekly or bi-weekly report or video from zoo management speaking to everyone. If it is in Arabic, it can be easily translated but it will report on the animals' needs and will mention any animal that is sick or injured and what we need to focus on with improvements to the enclosures and the path forward. It is my hope that it will bring a better connection to the zoo for everyone.
We have also asked to get estimates on reinforcing one of the large uninhabited enclosures. This will include security barriers for the safety of any visitors. As most people are aware, the zoo is normally closed. However, all holidays, Ghazi loves to put more people on the ground (for safety) and allow families with children come in for free to enjoy a day at the zoo. Therefore, any revamp we do has to have secure safety barriers as well. It is our goal to reinforce one or two large empty enclosures for one to two prides of lions. This will get one or two prides permanently outside. Even though our donations are far from where we need them to be. This project is achievable for us and will give these embattled lions a more humane existence with grass, trees, and stuff to climb and scratch on. Heartbreakingly, these are all things these lions have never known but if it takes my last breath, they will finally leave that archaic cement existence behind forever.
I also know that we have dreamed and promised all new sanctuary type enclosures for everyone and we will get there but due to monetary constraints, we have to start small and do what is feasible and realistic for us to do. Little by little, we will get there. Our dream for these precious animals will become a reality and Taiz will be permanently changed forever. These animals, the people of Taiz and Yemen deserve this triumph and we will bring them the win.
Sadly, enclosures are not all that we have to focus on. Our priority remains life with food, water, and medications that are critical to our zoo families’ existence. Thankfully, we have had several individuals sign up for reoccurring donations and we are so grateful. The reoccurring donations are something we can count on to provide life's essentials and all improvements, including the revamp of any enclosure(s). It is funding that we know will be there for these animals and that provides security and stability for them. So, a huge thank you to everyone that extended their generosity to reoccurring. I cannot tell you how helpful that gift is and donations are life in Taiz.
Finally, I apologize for the delays on updates. I will be sending another report/update soon. It will include our new government contract and all the positive changes moving forward. We are just wanting more interaction from them about our zoo family. We would also like to install a live cam on either our outdoor lions or leopards. So, that anyone that would like to can watch our lions’ or leopards’ daily life. It goes without saying, it is past time for positive news for Taiz. We should be hearing from Mr. Ghazi shortly and will be documenting our progress on upgrading an enclosure(s) as well.
Thank You All Again and Happy Lion Roars,
Amy
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Hello Lion Hearts!
First, I would like to thank everyone that has participated on our GlobalGiving platform. Our current stats are 152 donations totalling $7,108.54 USD. Which has exceded my expectations. Yes, we have more road to go but it definitely shows we have the heart to get there for the Taiz animals. So a huge thank you again to everyone. We may be a small nonprofit but we are mighty.
Currently, all donaions to date have gone to critical needs. This includes food, water, medications, vitamins, and veterinary care for the almost 300 animals in our care. Everyday remains critical for every animal in Taiz zoo and we are the zoo's only support.
We continue to strive for something better for these embattled animals. We feel blessed to have obtained the critical supplies but there is a differnce in being alive and truly living. The archaic features and conditions at the zoo could bring even the hardest of hearts to their knees. I know it haunts everyone, which is why our ultimate goal for this project is to build one state of the art enclosure for one pride of lions. We belive this will show what can be done and show our future for the Taiz animals. Many of the Taiz lions have never had any grass touch their feet or the sun kiss their backs. It is time to fight to make this happen.
However, we are still struggling with stability and as long as this is an issue, we cannot focus on anything but critical needs, which is why we will be working on outreach over the next two weeks. We need for more people to be aware of the zoo and our plight to save it. So, we need everyone on board with this project with lots of shares! We also have an infograph located on our website that breaks our project down on what we do in a simple, easy to share form. https://www.alionsheart.org/what-we-do
I now ask you to continue to know that all things are posible. We conquer all obstacles together. We have already defeated the odds with these animals and will continue to do so. We will reach all of our goals and change the lives of these animals forever. Brick by brick and step by step, we will win and win togeher for the Taiz animals.
.
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Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
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