Sanctuary Award Week
It is almost time to announce the 2024 Carole Noon and Outstanding Sanctuary Award winners! To celebrate these amazing individuals and sanctuaries/rescues, we have a whole week of virtual events which culminate in the Virtual Awards Ceremony.
Monday through Thursday, October 21-24, we have four free to attend, very informative presentations from many different experts in the animal welfare field. Topics include Grant Writing for Sanctuaries; Stronger Sanctuary Teams: Using Shift Planning and Clear Communication to Enhance Resident Care and Develop Self-Sufficient, Adaptable Caregivers; Developing Youth Service Projects to Benefit Your Sanctuary Through Youth Changemaker Clubs and Enhancing Trauma Recovery with Behavioral Management. You can view details about these sessions and register for any you are interested in attending on our website.
On Friday, October 25th at 10:00 a.m. pacific/1:00 p.m. eastern, we would love for you to join us at the Virtual Awards Ceremony. You will get the chance to hear from and about the winners in each category. If you’d like to register to attend, you can register here.
2024 Giving Day for Apes Raises Vital Support for Sanctuaries Worldwide
This year’s Giving Day for Apes event was a remarkable success, raising $743,051 for ape sanctuaries and rescue centers across the globe! Thanks to the incredible generosity of donors and event sponsors, this funding will provide critical care, food, medical treatment, and enrichment for the apes in these facilities.
The Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries was proud to once again host this event, which has become an essential day of giving for participating sanctuaries. By providing a platform for these organizations, we help amplify their voices and connect them with donors passionate about animal welfare. Giving Day for Apes not only raises funds but also increases awareness about the important work sanctuaries do to rescue and protect apes in need.
This year’s event included many prize opportunities, including leaderboards and random golden tickets. These friendly competitions and incentives, supported by our generous sponsors, motivated sanctuaries, and their supporters to go above and beyond in raising critical funds.
A heartfelt thank you to our sponsors, including the Arcus Foundation, American Anti-Vivisection Society, the David Bohnett Foundation, Tangram Insurance, and the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA), as well as the donors who participated in making this event a success. Your contributions make a world of difference for apes in sanctuaries worldwide.
We are already looking forward to planning the 2025 event!
Pro-Tip: When the flies are bugging you, try this!
We’ve heard of fly masks, sprays, predators and more. And still the flies persist. But in our travels to sanctuaries, we discover even more ways that sanctuaries address the issue of pesky insects. Accredited Peace Ridge Sanctuary in Maine showed us this herbal collar that helps with the flies on their residents! In addition to equines, they have used it for ruminants as well. Doesn’t hurt that it’s plant-based and cruelty-free. Check it out here: https://alzoo-vet.com/all-products/flea-and-tick/herbal-horse-collar/ to add to your fly arsenal. Also available from Amazon.
Animal Policy Alliance (APA) is looking for farmed animal sanctuary members!
The APA is a growing coalition of state and locally-based organizations who come together to stop the abuse of animals raised for food and fur. Now 19 members strong across 14 states, with a goal to eventually have representation in all 50 states! Sanctuaries play a crucial role in the animal advocacy movement and many are now expanding their influence by actively engaging in policy work, making them great candidates for the APA.
Through the APA, organizations can collaborate and learn from one another as a community, building collective lobbying power for animals. With The Humane League’s support and with mutual support for one another, APA members can establish and leverage authentic relationships in their communities, build influence with legislators, and amass enough power and skills to pass increasingly ambitious policy initiatives. The Humane League team also supports new APA Members with policy toolkits, legislative research, and bill templates.
Fill out the APA application to get involved. For more information you can contact Brenna Anderst, Senior Animal Policy Alliance Program Lead, .
Welcome October, and Bat Appreciation Month!
GFAS Accredited, Bat World in Weatherford, Texas has been working to rehabilitate bats and their reputation since 1994. Bat World provides a permanent sanctuary for non-releasable bats that have been injured, orphaned or rescued from research, zoos and the exotic pet trade. This unique sanctuary houses hundreds of permanent residents and rehabilitates and returns to the wild thousands of bats each year. This dedicated organization is the leading voice on bat rehabilitation, having written the book on bat care: Standards and Medical Management for Captive Insectivorous Bats.
In addition to rescue and rehabilitation work, Bat World’s mission is to change the public’s perception of bats through educational efforts including virtual tours and other interactive activities like Bat Cams. It takes hard work to change the cultural narrative that bats are scary creatures out to harm people, but that’s exactly what the Bat World team is committed to doing day in and day out. Whether it’s through virtual presentations or the vast resources found at their website, Bat World is there to inform the public about the vital role bats play in the ecosystem. Please visit www.batworld.org to learn more.
Certification and Renewals
Over the past month GFAS has renewed one organization!
Congratulations!
Renewal