UPDATE: June 2023
After being overwelled with the response and number of registrations for our first conservation experience, we are happy to report that the trip was a huge success. In fact, the experience was so successful that we have decided to organise a new Wildlife Conservation experience in November this year and begin planning for more Rhino Conservation Experiences in 2024. The entire Animal Saviours and Mankwe teams would like express a huge thanks to everyone who took part in this first trip. You made it the most memorable experience for us, and we are sure it was unforgettable for you too.
UPDATE: November 2022
Animal Saviours are thrilled to announce that we are offering a unique opportunity to join a team of conservationists at Mankwe Ecology and Field Research Center in South Africa, to assist in horn trimming some of their rhino and learn more about African wildlife conservation on the front line. This seven night trip of a lifetime includes airport transfers from Johannesburg Airport to the reserve, all meals during your stay, and a plethora of bush experiences, including, game tracking and anti-poaching demonstrations, and talks from wildlife and conservation experts throughout the week. There will also be multiple game drives during the trip, giving you the chance to observe and learn about all the animals who call Mankwe Wildlife Reserve their home and there will be a day trip to the Pilanesberg National Park, where you will have the chance to see the Big 5. The pinnacle of your trip will be the opportunity to assist in the mammoth task of tracking, sedating, and safely trimming the horn of a white rhino. During the horn trimming process, you will observe these magnificent animals up close, touch their skin and listen to them breathe and get a deeper understanding of why it is so important to protect and preserve this amazing species.
The professional equipment and personnel required to perform the horn trimming safely, which include a helicopter, experienced pilot, dart guns, and specialist veterinarians, is essential for the procedure to be performed safely and quickly but is it an expensive process and this procedure gives the rhino a 92% better chance of survival. Your support will help fund this extremely costly, but necessary, procedure as well as the anti-poaching teams who protect the rhino day in and day out.
The size of the Animal Saviours group will be limited, so it will be important to register your interest as soon as possible. The cost for this seven night experience will be £980 per person, excluding flights to Johannesburg, dates will be from April 29th to May 6th 2023.
For full details of this once in a lifetime opportunity please visit the Rhino Conservation Experience page on our website
Wildlife Experiences
UPDATE: April 2020
This year we are happy to announce that Willows Hedgehog Rescue will be benefitting from aid with their veterinary care from Animal Saviours. For the last 10 years Willows has been rehabilitating injured and vulnerable hedgehogs, with the ultimate goal of returning them to the wild. Hedgehogs are under increasing pressure as their habitat shrinks and Willows important work is more important than ever. You can learn more about Willows and what you can do to support their work here: https://www.willowshedgehogrescue.co.uk.
Animal Saviours has extended its support of Wychbold Swan Rescue, which continues to do amazing work, into 2020. You can find out more about them here: http://. www.wychboldswanrescue.co.uk.
We are also continuing to support Penny Ha’Penny Horse & Pony Rescue, the work of Sue Penny is an inspiration and you can find out more about the work of the charity here: http://www.pennyhapenny.org.
UPDATE: July 2019
Care For Wild Update:
After another visit to Care For Wild Rhino Orphanage in South Africa, Animal Saviours has pledged to continue supporting this amazing cause. This year we’re raising funds to help CFW build another shelter and enclosure to house an additional K9 anit-poaching team member.
We have also managed to get the fabulous Sandra Raw of Worcester Dogs and the Clever Dogs Company on board to help us with fund-raising. Sandra is also passionate about rhino conservationand works closely with Mankwe Wildlife Reserve in South Africa. Where she has been instrumental in training their K9 anti-poaching unit in how to track scent and blood trails.
UPDATE: June 2018
Care For Wild Update:
Animal Saviours are happy to report that in collaboration with local UK charity A1 Petline and South African Veterinarian, Dr. Albertus Coetzee, the four guard dogs in service at Care For Wild Rhino Orphanage in South Africa are now each protected by a yearly Veterinary Careplan.
These Careplans will ensure that these vital members of the Care For Wild team receive regular parasite prevention, health assessments and vaccinations. Which are all essential to keep these brave dogs fit and healthy, meaning they can continue their job of protecting the endangered Rhino’s in the largest Rhino sanctuary in the world.
We would like to thank Beryl Romano, of A1 Petline, for her tireless and enthusiastic fund raising efforts and Dr. Albertus Coetzee, of Westacres Vets in Nelpruit South Africa, for his dedication to the plight of the increasingly endangered African Rhinos.
Fund Raising Update:
A huge thank you goes out to Anne Hardisty for raising a significant sum of money for both A1 Petline and Animal Saviours. Anne raised the money by having her head completely shaved, with all the sponsors contributions being donated to A1 and Animal Saviours. We can’t thank Anne enough for her efforts, she is a STAR!
UPDATE: March 2018
After some long discussions and analysis of our objectives, the Trustees of Animal Saviours have elected three local charities to receive a regular monthly contribution towards their veterinary costs. We have set up monthly Standing Orders paid directly to the relevant veterinary practices in the name of the three chosen charities. The charities who are receiving funding for this year are:
Penny Ha’Penny Horse & Pony Rescue
P.U.P.S
You can learn more about the wonderful work these charities are doing by clicking on the links above.
The Trustees will review this selection at the end of 2018. Any charities wishing to put their names forward for selection for 2019 should submit one of our online application forms no later than December 15th 2018. You can take a look at the criteria and access the online form by clicking here.
The charities chosen for assistance in 2019 will be informed no later than January 31st 2019.
The birds in the care of Wychbold Swan Rescue Centre are already benefiting from Animal Saviours contributions. A skilled surgeon at the Webb’s branch of local veterinary practice, MacArthur, Barstow & Gibbs, recently performed an operation on a swans badly damaged wing. Unfortunately the wing had to be amputated but the operation went well and the swan is now recovering and will be up and about in no time. Once it has a full bill of health it will be re-homed to a local stately home to enjoy a new life.
On a recent visit to this amazing charitable organisation we had the opportunity to meet some incredibly cute little rhino orphans that are being cared for by a dedicated team of volunteers, and headed up by the inspirational Petronel Niewoudt. The orphanage arose only a few years ago, out of need for a safe refuge for baby rhinos who’s mothers have been slaughtered for their horns. Horns that are made of nothing more than KERATIN (a form of compacted hair) but that are prized by Far-eastern countries for all manner of imaginary healing properties, or simply as a status-symbol. These ridiculous and primitive beliefs have already resulted in the EXTINCTION of Asian sub-species as well as the Northern White Rhino, and are now fueling the decimation of the few thousand surviving Rhinos in Southern Africa. This, after only narrowly escaping extinction in the 1970’s! Whether the genetic pool can survive another similar near-extinction event so soon, is a question we will not be able to answer for a few years yet. But it is a distinct possibility (even a probability) that it will be answered in our lifetime, and this species becomes EXTINCT. And that’s forever…
This is the reason Sanparks and the Care-For-Wild Team are trying so hard to save each and every little rhino baby that they can, at any cost. And the trustees of Animal Saviours have tried to add a tiny little bit by purchasing some good quality food for their Attack-Dogs, some warm clothes for the staff, and 4 new bridles and riding helmets for their Mounted Patrol.
Below are some serious little cuties little enjoying their bottles of warm tea/milk.
UPDATE: 12 August 2017
It is with enormous regret that we heard about the tragic accident that claimed the life of Care-For-Wild Guarddog “Didi”. A donation to help with the veterinary treatment that was administered to try to save her life will be made by Animal Saviours. We are so sad, our hearts go out to all those who knew her.
You can learn more about the wonderful things Care for Wild are doing here
Bird of Prey & Rehabilitation Centre: December 2016
We funded the purchased and installation of a new hot water boiler at the Bird of Prey & Rehabilitation Centre in Dullstroom, South Africa. This now means they have hot water available to bath and clean wounded birds and help them get onto the road to recovery more quickly.
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Thula Thula Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre:
UPDATE: May 2017
A visit to Thula Thula afforded us the opportunity to meet the indomitable Françoise Anthony and her new team of volunteers. We did a “supermarket sweep” on the way down and delivered a car-boot full of groceries to ensure that the new team would have sufficient sustenance to get them settled, and help them start the new Thula Thula Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. Good luck guys!
Swan Rescue of Wychbold:
An examination and treatment table was sourced and delivered to the Swan Rescue Centre in Wychbold. More information about Swan Rescue can be found here:
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Domestic Animal Care:
We contributed to enable Domestic Animal Care, based in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, to purchase a new ambulance. You can find out more about them here:
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Prolife Animal Rescue:
A set of surgical instruments was purchased to allow Prolife, based in Nelspruit, South Africa, to continue neutering local street dogs. More details on this great cause can be found here
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And 2 dogs in the Droitwich are were helped with surgical procedures that improved their quality of life.