In a crackdown on illegally trafficked 'trophy pets' rescued in Israel, the lions Ben Tzur and Ori will go to Animal Defenders International Wildlife Sanctuary in South Africa

 

Dear Friends, Feeling a little exhausted but positive! Founders of Animal Defenders International ADI :  Yesterday, Tim and I returned from a whistle-stop 36 hours in Israel, preparing for the relocation of lions Ori and Ben Tzur to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary. The lions were tiny cubs when they were rescued by Israel’s Nature & Parks Authority (NPA) in a crackdown on illegally trafficked ‘trophy pets’ that also saw a staggering sixty grivet monkeys seized. This rescue is another blow against wildlife trafficking and a chance to create awareness about wildlife pets. We took over the rescue at very short notice after Panthera Africa Big Cat Sanctuary was burned in a wildfire, leaving nowhere for the boys – we also evacuated two of their lions Elsa and Lei-ah, while Panthera Africa is being rebuilt. https://voordierenblogger.blogspot.com/2026/01/yesterday-horrific-wildfire-ripped.html We still do not know how long the evacuated lions will be fed and cared for by ADI but anticipate it will be months or even a year away. So, with Ben Tzur and Ori coming to ADIWS as their first proper home for an indefinite period, we agreed it would therefore be in their best welfare interests to remain at ADIWS for life, rather than settle in, build trust with their carers, only to be uprooted for a 15+ hour journey to another location at some point. The South African CITES authority, who we must commend for the speed they have worked on this, also required that the import be to their permanent home. Animal Defenders Wildlife Sanctuary ( ADIWS ) A big project to take on, and one that will impact our other work. However, your support shows it has been the right choice. Hence, we were off to Israel for 36 hours this week. We have been working intensely since mid-January: hours securing permits, an inspection by the CITES authority and habitat modifications and preparing travel crates in case needed. We had a very productive meeting with the NPA team, planning the relocation, learning about the characters of the lions, feeding routines and so on. It may not seem as exciting as the actual rescues and relocations, but meetings, planning and coordination are what ensure animals are moved safely. We also got to see a little of their work at a local nature reserve returning vultures and other animals to the wild. Seeing Ori and Ben Tzur made all of the hard work worthwhile. These two youngsters will be growing up in Africa! Ori is quite shy and Ben Tzur is extremely friendly, confident and looks after Ori. The NPA team said he had brought Ori out of himself. Sadly, Ben Tzur has been made utterly dependent on humans and craves attention, wanting the social contact he would get from other lions. The traffickers drag the babies from their mothers when they should be suckling and receiving important nutrients and learning from their mothers. When you see people on social media pretending the animals adore them as they crave attention it is a lie. It is learned dependency born of being deprived of the relationships they really need. But there was a very important first impression seeing Ben Tzur and Ori – these are not tiny babies anymore! They are at least 10 months old, and huge. At the zoo they are being taught crate familiarisation. Each day they are fed in the travel crates, the doors are closed and they are given treats while inside - you will have seen us doing this as we prepare for a big lion or tiger move. This is the best way, as it enables loading without sedation and means the animals are calm and less stressed during journeys. We reviewed the process but unfortunately it confirmed the cubs are now too big for these crates. We are looking to resolve this by sending our crates or with construction of new crates in Israel. We hope this will be a minor setback and not add too much cost to the rescue. I still hope that the move will be before the end of February. We really need your support for this additional rescue and have a very narrow timeframe to raise the funds needed, including what will be the biggest cost to ADI – feeding and caring for these boys for the next 20 years. Please donate for Ori and Ben Tzur. Donate here Yours for the animals Jan Creamer, President

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Patricia Jussen came to India several times on business and saw the incredible animal suffering: 3 years ago she started an animal hospital in South India ( many photos )

Trix before and after  

Dear readers I have known this animal welfare organisation for 20 years. They are totally reliable 

Three years ago, Patricia Jussen from Heerlen in Limburg Netherlands started an animal hospital in South India.

The country with the most stray animals in the world. Over 50 million!

Patricia chose a place no one else dared to venture into: an old, abandoned rice mill...

Klick on the photos to enlarge

Please donate to Patricia's work

Animal Hospital India..

Please donate today to this relief effort by depositing it in our bank account:

NL16 INGB 0004 7841 60, payable to Stichting Dierennood, with the reference "Hulpproject 199" (Relief Project 199).

For donation outside of the Netherlands please use the bank account. No email info needed

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She had been there several times on business and, as a great animal lover, decided that she really wanted to do something about the incredible animal suffering, especially in South India.

With a lot of love, perseverance and her own resources, she created a place where the sheltered stray animals finally received medical care, peace and attention.

The nearest access to medical care for stray animals would otherwise be a 10-hour drive away...

 

However, her mission grew faster than the walls surrounding her. The hospital soon became too small, as it clearly met a huge need.

Mid-last year, she had the opportunity to rent a larger location. It was also a very old building, had been vacant for over twenty years and in need of complete renovation.

In just a few months, she and her team managed to accomplish a tremendous amount of work. There was no electricity or water, the roofs leaked, and all basic amenities were completely lacking.

A lot of perseverance

Yet they persevered. They built more than half a kilometer (!) of wall to keep the dogs safely inside, created kennels, a puppy ward, a special area for paralyzed dogs, kitchens, and restrooms.

What she and her enthusiastic team have achieved in such a short time is truly remarkable, but it also means that her budget has now been exhausted, while the work is unfortunately not yet finished.

Urgently needed

Additional kennels are urgently needed. Moreover, medical costs are obviously skyrocketing, but Patricia refuses to consider a "patient freeze"...

There is also a great need for a separate section for dogs with mange, where they can be washed safely and then recover in the warm sun.

Every year they treat more than 750 sick and/or injured stray animals and more than 200 dogs stay there permanently.

They also deliberately take in highly contagious dogs to prevent the spread of diseases such as canine distemper and rabies in the city.

They also sterilize and castrate as many animals as possible, despite the enormous impact on the budget. Of course, all incoming animals are also vaccinated immediately.

Old, blind, and paralyzed dogs are allowed to stay with them forever, and that number continues to grow every year...

Donations are greatly appreciated.

The money is gone, but there is still so much to do

Thanks to the larger location, Patricia and her team can now help even more dogs and other animals in need. But they can't do it alone.

Please help her finish the animal hospital and give these animals – that no one else wants to help – a better future!

 

Please donate today to this relief effort by depositing it in our bank account:

NL16 INGB 0004 7841 60, payable to Stichting Dierennood, with the reference "Hulpproject 199" (Relief Project 199).

With us, your donation will be put to good use. We don't deduct expenses like salaries, housing, car allowances, or other unnecessary extras.

Target amount: €8,000 - Current status: €660

Thank you so much for your donations!

Feb. 2 - This very special aid project has only been online for a day, and it's already raised €660... Very good, and hopefully, that bodes well!

Week up to February 1 - 660 euros

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