Celebrating Animal Heroes of 2018
Thank you for caring!
The end of the year is a good time for reflection and looking forward to the year coming up.
When I look back, I not only think about my own impact and how I can improve in the coming year, I also remember and honor fearless and amazing heroes who’ve saved the lives of animals.
Looking forward, I’m seeing all animals, human included, thrive. I’m seeing brands that give back and doing something good in this world shine. The future looks bright because we’re working together out of love and compassion!
This post is solely dedicated to the animal heroes who show unconditional love and respect for all living beings and our planet.
And, I’ve got a couple of special announcements at the end that will help you shine!
Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my!
Where to start! There were so many animal heroes this year and I know for a fact that I didn’t list them all, so please, if you know of other animal heroes, let me know in the comments below.
There’s no better resource for animal love stories than The Dodo, so I’ll start there!
Boys and their Best Friends
This young boy is amazing! At just 4 years old, Roman started to help find homes for dogs in shelters. He’s saved over 1,000 dogs and is still counting! You rock, Roman!
And this pumped up savior, Lee Asher, is also inspiring and yes, insane – I love it! Stop life, get an RV and find homes for these fun pups!
Shelter Life isn’t always Hard Knock!
Oliver was hanged, but luckily had enough loving people to help him through his trauma and is now a happy pup at one of the 4 shelters in Tanzania. Only 4 shelters in an entire country???
Ever wonder what life is like at a shelter? Especially as an older dog who apparently no one wants to adopt? Nonsense, says this senior dog hospice; heaven on Earth for these sweet canines.
And wow, talk about fun at this no-kill, free run stray dog paradise in Costa Rica! Squeeeeeee!
There’s no place like home.
For all animals, human included.
The Bee and Butterfly Heroes
Bees especially are so very important for our own survival that I couldn’t have an animal hero post without mentioning saving them. And life without butterflies would just be sad, very sad.
Not only that, Sian planted 16 trees on her #PlantATree day and invested in 5 @standfortrees projects!
And thank you, Barbara Lewison, aka my sister, who saved 7 Monarch butterflies in their 2nd stage of metamorphasis, the caterpillar stage. It all started when she saw a Monarch butterfly feeding off and laying eggs on a Milkweed plant in her garden. After losing 10 large caterpillars to predators and 1 chrysalis to fly infestation, she decided to take action! She brought 7 caterpillars inside her home to provide them sanctuary during their transformation. Monarchs are in danger because Milkweed is the only plant they eat and with the increased use of pesticides and drought conditions, Milkweed is currently a threatened plant which has led to decreased Monarch populations over the past decade.
Farm Animals
As a vegan, I can’t help but cry when I see farm animals being saved. Get your tissues ready!
JP Farm Animal Sanctuary: A haven for rescued and disabled cows
Manor Farm: A farm sanctuary for disabled animals
Rowdy Girl Sanctuary: The birth of a vegan farm sanctuary
The moment when 35 rescued farm animals turned into 70 at Broken Shovels Farm and how the community came together to offer help and support.
I read a book earlier this year that really makes you think: Riding on the Power of Others* by Ren Hurst (*affiliate link). She describes her long and painful journey of being a high roller in the horse industry to turning vegan and owning a sanctuary where no horse will ever be ridden again. To truly respect them on a level that is unheard of in today’s society is not only transformational but also deserves my utmost respect because the pain she must have gone through to completely stop doing something she loved most in this world – riding – is immense. But she is now free of that pain. And so are her horses.
To those about to save animals, I salute you! Animal heroes rock! Let’s honor the love and compassion of these beautiful souls who actively saved animals this year.
The Bravehearted
Here are short snippets of animal heroes both human and non-human, interspecies and all in the family. Which rescue is your favorite?
Getting a little help from your friends
Natural Disaster Rescues
Oh my, this year was rough on many living beings. Here are just a few examples of heroic actions during the aftermath of a natural disaster.
Just a Few Brands that Give Back
A special thanks goes out to those animal heroes with a serious mission of bringing their talents to conscious consumers while supporting organizations that protect/rescue and care for animals in need.
Critically Endangered Socks designs sustainably-made comfy cozy feet huggers and give 20% of their total sale price to 4 charity partners around the world.
Elephant Gin and Ivory Ella both have a BIG mission to save the largest land mammal who is severaly threathened from poaching and habitat loss. Honestly, there’s nothing more surreal than seeing elephant families in the wild and I’ll never forget my trip to South Africa and Botswana in 2016. I’m ready to go back!
And who wouldn’t enjoy a quality fairtrade and organic cup of java knowing that you’re giving rescue dogs a good home? At Grounds & Hounds, they turn passion into action!
At Pet Plus, you’re in good hands as a pet owner and every time a new PetPlus member signs up, they’ll donate a FREE membership to a Best Friends adopted animal. Best Friends is America’s largest animal sanctuary.
Buy1Give1
Speaking of Giving Back
My mission for Ethical Brand Marketing is to help save animals and our environment by working with brands in a strategic and ethical way so that they can master their marketing and thrive in this marketplace.
After donating to a couple of larger organizations, I felt I wanted to really know where my money went and as soon as Sian Conway from Ethical Hour (my bee-saving and ethical marketing friend above) gifted me a day of watermelon-eating fun for chickens at Edgar’s Mission, a rescue sanctuary for farm animals in Australia via B1G1 (Buy1GIVE1), I thought, this is IT!
B1G1 makes giving back easy and transparent and since I’m all over easy and transparency, I became a proud member today and won’t have to wonder where my money actually goes. And I no longer have to spend much time finding ethical non-profit organizations that I can really trust because B1G1 does the proofing work for me.
If you’re interested in becoming a member, too, talk to me so that I can send you a personal invite which will give you $11 of giving back credit and let the giving back begin!
Be The Change Awards 2019
Giving Back has Never Been More Important
And because giving back is a perfect way to help save animals, humans included, and our planet, I’ve just now become a proud sponsor of the Be The Change Awards for the category of BRANDS THAT GIVE BACK!
This event will be held on April 26, 2019 and organized by Sian (yeah, she’s everywhere!), from Ethical Hour and Jo Salter, owner of Where Does It Come From?
Not only that, I’m also on the judging panel! I’m SO excited to be a part of this ceremony because it’s people like you who are moving mountains and it’s a great honor for me to celebrate you!
Entries are open now until 31st January 2019. It’s FREE to enter so check it out today to try to walk home with an award in April!
Are you an animal-loving business owner, too?
This year is ending with a powerful and harmless BANG! I’d love to hear the impact you’re making in your business, so please comment below and let’s talk! In the meantime, have a wonderful holiday season with your family! I’m looking forward to seeing you in the new year!
Be the change,
Photo credit: Gabi Bender on Pixabay.
Jess I am so honoured to have you in my life. Forever grateful to the wonderful Liz for bringing us together in our ‘love’ tshirts that day in London!
It’s so inspiring to see you step into your purpose of helping animal brands find their voice and spread their message, and this post shows just how impactful that can be!
Plus we’re now both B1G1 members so together we’re going to make so much impact in 2019! I can’t wait to collaborate further next year.
Have a wonderful Christmas my friend xxx
Thank you, Sian, for coming into my life! It all started with a simple search of ‘ethical something’ – I forget now, but yeah, like-minders find each other! I couldn’t be more grateful for you, your amazing work and your supporting community and I’m really looking forward to next year! Have a wonderful Christmas with your family and a great NYE! It’s going to be a rockin’ year, so let me leave you with some more love: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtVBCG6ThDk!
Aww, thanks for including me, but I feel like I’ve barely done anything compared to others. There’s this one older guy, Craig the Butterfly Man, who runs the Facebook group “How to Raise Monarch Butterflies” who raises hundreds of Monarchs every year. He’s absolutely amazing! – Barbara
Bless both your hearts! But you fully deserve to be honored, Barbara, because it’s people like you who inspire others to think more consciously when they see a living being in need of help. It just takes one life to make an impact, so thank you for your love and compassion! You are my hero!