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From all the team at Animals Asia, we wish you a very happy Christmas! I hope this festive season brings you and your family much warmth and happiness.
Please accept our sincere thanks for all you’ve done to help stop the suffering of countless animals throughout Asia during the past 12 months. This has been a tremendous year for Animals Asia – we celebrated our 10th anniversary in August and officially opened our new Moon Bear Rescue Centre in Vietnam earlier in the year.
As you know, 2008 has also presented us with many challenges, particularly for our Moon Bear Rescue project – and I want you to know just how much your support has meant to us.
One of the 2008 initiatives that I’m most excited about is our collaboration with small and
struggling animal welfare groups operating in China. There are growing numbers of these brave individuals coming together to give a voice to abused cats and dogs. Funds are always a big concern for these fledgling animal welfare groups. So this year we launched a new education grant for the more than 40 Chinese animal welfare groups that have joined our Animals Asia Friendship Alliance. We’ve set aside 50,000 RMB (US$7,000) for the allocation of grants for these groups to print education material for distribution in schools or among the public.
We’re also empowering groups to work at the grass-roots level, directly helping dogs and cats within their local communities. For instance we are sponsoring the highly successful trap, neuter, release (TNR) programme run by Xixi Cat in Guangzhou and I’m thrilled to report that a recent survey has shown the scheme to be overwhelmingly popular with residents.
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In Vietnam too, a growing awareness of animal welfare is taking root, with Animals Asia developing a good relationship with the country’s customs officers who seem more than ever determined to stamp out smuggling of moon bear cubs for the bile trade. Speaking of which, the latest two adorable cubs to have made a narrow escape from the brutal industry – Irwin Junior and Yin Yang – are now causing untold trouble at our Vietnam rescue centre. For the staff there that won’t make it home for the holidays, we know this cheeky, chubby pair will be a big consolation.
Please check out our latest Christmas catalogue here. You can choose from lots of exciting new gifts – limited-edition designer T-shirts, funky necklaces and key chains, and drink coasters sporting photos of the most handsome bears on the planet! And of course all the proceeds from the sale of these items will go towards our Moon Bear Rescue and our other programmes helping abused animals in Asia.
Please remember the suffering animals this Christmas and give generously. With your help, we’ll strive to make 2009 a great year for Asia’s animals and I hope to share some more of our success stories with you soon. Safe and happy holidays – and thanks again for your support.
Bear hugs,
Jill Robinson MBE
Founder and CEO
Animals Asia Foundation
