"To everyone who supported the Electoral College petition campaign and put their faith in us: 

Thank you for signing and sharing our petition. Thank you for speaking out against Trump and for sending messages of support our way. Thank you to all those who donated; we had more than 10,000 donors, with an average donation of about 26 dollars.

Your donations funded our daily operations, helped demonstrators get to state capitals, and, mostly importantly, made possible our print media campaign, which enabled our open Letter to Electors to be seen by millions of Americans in respected newspapers around the country. 

Thank you to the 15,000+ volunteers who took action — writing letters, making phone calls, and attending protests over the past six weeks and especially on Monday in state capitals. 

We could not have come this far without you. And we will continue to need your support in the days ahead. 

We have a fight on our hands, but we will fight it with the truth, with respect, and with passion.

For now, I know we all need a few days to celebrate the season and spend time with our families. Thanks again to every one of the nearly 5 million people who signed, for your hope and for your incredible support. 

Please stay tuned. We really are just getting started."

The whole article can be found here: Electoral College Petition: What We Accomplished and What’s Next

Tomorrow is the day on which the members of the Electoral College will cast their ballots for the next President of The United States. We need to be honest and realistic, chances for them to vote for someone other than Donald Trump is, I think, pretty slim. It is not impossible, but realistically speaking, it is improbable. I wish it would happen. Many people, millions wouldn't be scared anymore of what their future President might do or decide that would drastically and in a bad way affect their lives. The world will not fear if the next President will sabotage the research and steps that need to be taken to protect our global environment.


Tomorrow, peaceful protests have been organized in all states. Here is the list when and where exactly will it take place: https://electoralcollegepetition.com/calendar/#gs.sCE0DJY. Remember, these are nonviolent actions and everyone attending is asked to be peaceful and exercise lawful free speech.

Spread the word about these protests by joining the December 19 Facebook event.

Source: In 48 Hours, We Gather in State Capitals to STOP TRUMP

Aleppo is a city in Syria. It is the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. It was Syria's largest city (with the population of 2,132,100 (2004 census)) and also one of the largest cities in the Levant before the advent of the Syrian Civil War.

Since the Battle of Aleppo started in 2012, the city has suffered massive destruction, and has been the worst-hit city in the Syrian Civil War. The Battle of Aleppo is a military confrontation between the Syrian pro-government forces of President Bashar Al-Assad (supported by Russia) and the rebels who have kept Aleppo under siege.


A cease-fire was brokered between Russia and Turkey late on Tuesday in order to make an evacuation possible for civilians from besieged districts. However, Syrian forces resumed their attacks again during the early hours of Wednesday morning, citing rebel fire.

'Make no mistake: What is happening in Aleppo right now—what no less than UN humanitarian chief Stephen O’Brien called “our generation’s shame”— is an atrocity. It is genocide. It is time to pay attention.'

Here are ways we can help people there:

1. By donating to White Helmets, a volunteer rescue organization in Syria with people who “deal with the aftermath of government air attacks” and who search through rubble for survivors, as well as help civilians recover by fixing up buildings and giving them medical care.

2. Doctors Without Borders provides medical assistance to any number of war-torn countries. Despite two of the organization’s Aleppo hospitals being hit by airstrikes in November, many aid workers have remained in the city and will continue to help its civilians.

3. Mercy-USA is building a health clinic outside of Aleppo “in the very near future,” and in the meantime it is continuing to give stoves and eco-fuel to internally displaced families.

4. UN’s refugee agency, the UNHCR, focuses on providing refugees across the globe with necessities such as hygiene kits, sleeping bags, and medicine. As of December 12, the organization was distributing relief items to the thousands displaced from Aleppo.

5. By sending money to the UN Human Rights office, which helps about 85,000 people whose rights have been violated every year.

6. According to UNICEF, 8.4 million Syrian children inside and outside the country are in need of humanitarian aid. Help UNICEF provide it to them.

7. Support the organization Syria Relief, an organization from Manchester, UK created at the beginning of the Syrian crisis in 2011. Their mission is to ‘relieve the suffering and support the future.‘ By providing emergency medical care, food, aid and education, psychiatric treatment to prosthetic limb clinics and sustainable livelihood.

8. By donating to Save The Children: 'Two million children and their families have fled Syria. Those still inside the country face shortages of food, water and medicines. They need our help now more than ever.'

9. By sending money to the organization Islamic Relief, an independent humanitarian and development organization whos mission is to enable communities to mitigate the effect of disasters, prepare for their occurrence and respond by providing relief, protection and recovery.

10. By donating to Karam Foundation: 'Help us provide aid to not only Madaya but also other "forgotten" cities experiencing brutal siege such as Deir Ezzor which we are providing aid in the form of food for families, infant formula, and winter relief for the innocent civilians suffering from hunger and cold.'


Source:

Here’s What Is Happening in Aleppo—And Here’s What You Can Do to Help

Here are some ways that you can help the people of Aleppo

http://weavemama.tumblr.com/post/154466919043/aleppo-update

Only four days left until the Electors meet in their state capitals to elect the next President of the United States.

Today's goal is to bring attention to the importance of the Electoral College vote on December 19 while sharing your voice with the Electors. Use the hashtag #EsteemedElectors to tell the the Electors why you think they should stop Trump.

Original post can be seen here: Tell the #EsteemedElectors Why They Should Stop Trump

Here is the link to the action page: TAKE ACTION NOW where you can find other ways to help like writing letters, make a phone call etc.


On December 19th there will be protests on various locations. For more info check this link out: https://electoralcollegepetition.com/calendar/#gs.t3rhIn0

On 19th December, the Electors can choose to vote their conscience and stop Donald Trump.

Every day this week there will be one strategic action that every person who signed the petition can take. If you haven't signed the petition yet, here is the link to check it out: Electoral College: Make Hillary Clinton President.

Later this week, the representatives of this movement will hand-deliver the petition letter with all its signatures to the Secretary of every state. There is still time for you to sign and share the petition until then. The petition has almost 5 million signatures.

Original post can be found here: https://electoralcollegepetition.com/one-week-left/#gs.7W8q=kQ

Here is the link to the action page: TAKE ACTION NOW where you can find other ways to help like writing letters, make a phone call etc.

On December 19th there will be protests on various locations. For more info check this link out: https://electoralcollegepetition.com/calendar/#gs.t3rhIn0

Yesterday, for the first time, a Republican Elector publicly declared that he won't vote for Trump on December 19th!


His name is Cristopher Suprun and he wrote an op-ed: Why I Will Not Cast My Electoral Vote for Donald Trump

The full article can be found here: https://electoralcollegepetition.com/stop-trump-now/#gs.dYH23ig

Todays action will be focused to spread these news in the media. On the link above is a list of people you can tweet about this so they can write about it and spread the word themselves. You can also tweet the State Republican Parties and ask them to publicly affirm the Constitutional right of Electors to vote their conscience. Every detail is available on the link above. 

Here is the link to the action page: TAKE ACTION NOW where you can find other ways to help like writing letters, make a phone call etc. 

There is only 13 days left. Let's make it count! 

My previous post was about a petition made by Daniel Brezenoff urging the Electoral College on the 19th December, to make a decision and choose Hillary Clinton instead of Donald Trump for President. There are numerous, in my opinion very valid reasons to do so. The petition has been sign by 4,707,019 supporters.

Worth a try!


"On December 19, the Electors of the Electoral College will cast their ballots. If they all vote the way their states voted, Donald Trump will win. However, they can vote for Hillary Clinton if they choose. Even in states where that is not allowed, their vote would still be counted, they would simply pay a small fine - which we can be sure Clinton supporters will be glad to pay! 

We are calling on the Electors to ignore their states' votes and cast their ballots for Secretary Clinton. Why? 

Mr. Trump is unfit to serve. His scapegoating of so many Americans, and his impulsivity, bullying, lying, admitted history of sexual assault, and utter lack of experience make him a danger to the Republic. 

Secretary Clinton WON THE POPULAR VOTE and should be President. 

Hillary won the popular vote. The only reason Trump "won" is because of the Electoral College. 

But the Electoral College can actually give the White House to either candidate. So why not use this most undemocratic of our institutions to ensure a democratic result? 

SHE WON THE POPULAR VOTE. 

There is no reason Trump should be President. 

"It's the 'People's Will'" No. 

She won the popular vote. 

"Our system of government under our Constitution says he wins" 

No. Our Constitution says the Electors choose. 

"Too many states prohibit 'Faithless Electors'" 

24 states bind electors. If electors vote against their party, they usually pay a fine. And people get mad. But they can vote however they want and there is no legal means to stop them in most states. 

PLEASE SIGN AND SHARE!"

Link to  the petition: https://www.change.org/p/electoral-college-electors-electoral-college-make-hillary-clinton-president-on-december-19

Friends of Dogs is a NGO created in Tivat. The main focus of this organization is to help the homeless dogs in the Kotor-Tivat Shelter. Kotor and Tivat are two small cities in Montenegro.

"Through our charity work and educational outreach program, we aim to raise awareness around homeless dogs in Montenegro and improve the conditions of those dogs living in shelters in the area.

Our goals: 
- Rehoming: Socialise and match dogs with good homes 
- Volunteering: Support the shelter by regularly walking, socializing and grooming dogs, as well as raise funds and awareness. 
- Outreach Education: Raise awareness of the plight of homeless dogs, responsible breeding and animal care. 

We have many local and commercial Charity Events which provide much needed funds to improve the lot of local homeless dogs; we welcome your support!"



Currently, with the help of "Network For Animals" (a NGO that helps animals worldwide) they are trying to raise funds necessary to build more kennels for the dogs in the shelter, so they can endure the harsh winter conditions better.

Here is the link to the donation page: https://networkforanimals.org/montenegro-2016/

25$ buys enough food for two dogs for a month.
35$ can sterilize one dog.
50$ buys a share of a cosy new kennel.

If you can donate, please do so, any amount helps!


The law for this Shelter is such that every dog that enters the shelter, if he or she is not adopted after 30 days, they are planned to be euthanized.

It is very good that the director of the Shelter is trying to change this and make it a no kill shelter. There are 204 dogs right now in the shelter.

The official page for the Shelter: http://www.azilkotor.org/
Friends of Dogs: https://www.facebook.com/dogs.montenegro/
Network For Animals: Official Page * Facebook * Twitter * Youtube *

If you want to help the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and not just them but also the other tribes that came to support this action and other people from around the world here are ways to do it:

1. There is a crowdrise page made by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe to help support the tribes in Dakota that plan on spending the winter there in order to protect their land and the river. If you can, please donate. Any amount helps!

Official Support for Standing Rock Sioux Tribe against DAPL

These donations will be used to buy:

- Food and meals
- Porta-johns
- Trash Collection
- Hand Washing Stations
- Community Shelters and Tents
- Emergency Management Team
- Firewood and Hauling
- Community Wellness Initiatives

and much more.

2. If you are able to help with material items like:

- Fire starter logs
- Extreme cold weather boots
- Extreme cold weather sleeping bags (to withstand up to -40)
- Extreme cold weather wool socks
- Hand and Foot Warmers Earmuffs and Gloves
- Engine warmers

Please send them to:
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe 
Attention: Donations 
PO Box D 
Building #1 
North Standing Rock Avenue 
Fort Yates, ND 58538 

Also needed are larger items like building materials: cinder blocks, plywood, rebar, 2x4s, firewood, and logs. Please contact: publicrelations@standingrock.org

3.

There are two petitions I would say are the most important ones out there. One is on the Friends of Earth site and the other from the ReZpect Our Water organization:

Tell President Obama: Say NO to the Dakota Access Pipeline!
Stop the Dakota Access Pipeline

4. Check out this article on how Banks and their investment affect the pipeline business:

A Strategy to Stop the Funding Behind the Dakota Access Pipeline

Also ways to contact the banks that fund the Pipeline project:

How to Contact the 17 Banks Funding the Dakota Access Pipeline

5. Tweet, retweet, post on Instagram, Facebook, any and every social media to spread the word. Use #NoDAPL and #WaterIsLife.

6. Follow the official page of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe on Facebook for news and updates and new ways to help:

https://www.facebook.com/Standing-Rock-Sioux-Tribe-402298239798452/

I stand with the Native Americans. Do you?


*Pictures made by Rob Wilson: https://www.facebook.com/RobWilsonFoto/*

Last Friday the Norway government has decided to approve a plan to kill as many as 47 wolves. It is estimated to be about 68 wolves remaining in Norway, concentrated in the south-east of the country. The environmental groups say that this cull would be disastrous for the dwindling members of the species.

This would mean 24 wolves will be shot within the region of the country designated for wolf habitat, while another 13 will be shot in neighboring regions and a further 10 in other areas of the country.

Norway's government justified this decision by saying it is because of the harm the wolves had caused to the sheep flocks. Environmental groups dispute this, saying the real damage is minimal.

“This is mass slaughter. We have not seen anything like this in a hundred years, back when the policy was that all large carnivores were to be eradicated. Shooting 70% of the wolf population is not worthy of a nation claiming to be championing environmental causes. People all over the country, and outside its borders, are now reacting.” - Nina Jensen, chief executive of WWF in Norway.

Nina said that the real number of losses to the farmers are minimal and reminded on the settlements by the Norwegian parliament from 2004 and 2011 that stipulates populations of carnivores must be allowed to co-exist with livestock.

“This decision must be stopped. With this decision, three out of six family groups of wolves might be shot. We are calling on the minister of environment to stop the butchering. Today, Norway should be ashamed.” - Silje Ask Lundberg, chair of Friends of the Earth Norway.

Please sign and share the petition to stop this cull: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/459/200/467/demand-norway-stop-mass-slaughter-of-its-endangered-wolf-population/

Source: Norway plans to cull more than two-thirds of its wolf population

First the cull on Golden Eagles, now a cull on the wolves. I think Norway should find a way to live with their wildlife that doesn't involve guns and killing.

On the 9th of September, a federal judge denied the tribe’s request to halt construction on the 1,170-mile pipeline.

Shortly after the decision has been known, the Obama administration countered by saying it would not authorize construction on a critical stretch of the Dakota Access pipeline. At least, for now. The administration said construction would halt until it can do more environmental assessments. Which means the fight for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is not over. They need to continue so that this decision can be permanent. And we need to continue to support them!

Source: BREAKING NEWS:Obama administration steps In to stop ND pipeline construction

There is an event planed on Tuesday, September 13th. People around the country will take part in a day of action in solidarity with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe against the Dakota Access Pipeline. They are urging President Obama to instruct the Army Corps of Engineers to revoke the permits for the construction of the pipeline.

If you can, join. The more join, the better.

There is a page for the event on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/336913836658578/

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approved the construction of a 1,172-mile Dakota Access Pipeline, or DAPL, which runs through North and South Dakota, Iowa and Illinois and has a capacity to transport more than 500,000 barrels of oil a day.

Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary is an organization which goal is:

• To provide a loving home, good food, high quality vet care, compassion and comfort to senior dogs for the remainder of their lives. 
• To build a ForeverFoster Home network to enable us to place more senior dogs in loving, home settings for the duration of their lives. 
• To provide education on the joys and challenges of caring for aging dogs. 
• To work with other dog rescue groups to promote the adoption of senior dogs.

Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery where a perpetrator profits from the sexual exploitation and/or forced labor of a person by means including force, fraud, coercion, or deceit to engage in commercial sexual activity such as prostitution, exotic dancing, or pornography.

San Diego is one of the top 13 cities in the US for human trafficking, a hub for 3000 - 8,000 victims annually. Most victims are between 11-18 years old and often don't even see themselves as victims, because they've never been shown anything better. 26% of victims are children (under 18), 55% of victims are women and girls, and 68% of victims are in forced labor.

A team of 30 young professionals in San Diego have come together to fight human trafficking. The focus is providing awareness, resources, and aid to victims and survivors of Human Trafficking. They have identified three organizations on the West Coast to support with an emphasis on Awareness, Prevention, Restoration, and Advocacy.

Those three organizations are:

The STARS program at San Diego Youth Services (Surviving Together, Achieving and Reaching for Success) provides a program for teen girls and women between the ages of 12-24 involved with commercial sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking to empower the youth to escape sexual exploitation by developing their inner strengths, building a sense of community and supporting their reintegration into mainstream society. Services include intensive case management, detention outreach, support groups, recreational activities, therapy and community trainings. SDYS STARS has been providing services in the community for over 8 years and over the last year served 91 girls and young women. Donations would be utilized to enhance our therapeutic services and move towards our capacity. The trauma associated with domestic sex trafficking often leads to chronic traumatic stress, low self-esteem and self-worth, and self-harm behaviors. Therapeutic services aim at supporting Survivors as they heal and gain empowerment to regain control over their future through a whole person approach that includes intensive therapy, expressive art, healthy eating, yoga, and self-care activities.

Generate Hope in San Diego provides safe housing and victim services including counseling, medical care, education, therapy, etc. for children between the ages of 8 and 24 who have been victimized. The funds will specifically go toward a new home for minors.

Saving Innocence in Los Angeles partners with local law enforcement to provide crisis response, rescue services, and immediate aftercare to child victims of domestic minor sex trafficking and provides long-term advocacy, case management, and mentoring relationships to survivors of exploitation by promoting worth and restoring innocence.

The goal is to raise at least $250,000 to these organizations that are directly involved in helping victims and survivors. There is no better time than NOW to take action! 

You can choose one of these organizations and donate. The minimum starting amount is 10$. The donation page is here: https://www.crowdrise.com/foundnotbound

I chose Saving Innocence, but any of these organizations is a good choice and helps. To think that this happens to girls and young women in the world is just... I guess whatever word i use would not be enough to describe and even imagine what kind of pain they go through. If you can, please donate and help.

Deadline for this action is August 28th!

Some Statistics about Human Trafficking:

- Sex trafficking is San Diego’s 2nd largest underground economy after drug trafficking. The underground sex economy represents an estimated $810 million in annual revenue. 

- Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego are 3 of the FBI’s 13 highest child sex trafficking areas in the nation.

- Approximately 27-30 million people around the world are in some form of slavery. 

- Each year about 17,500 individuals are brought into the United States and held against their will as victims of human trafficking. Conservative estimates say that 15,000 people are trafficked into the U.S. annually, while others guess the number is as high at 60,000.

Good news. The goal has been reached and WW will be able to buy a new truck. Yaaaay! :)



"As of 7/12/16, WE'VE REACHED OUR GOAL!. A huge thank you is sent to all of you who were able to help us with this critical appeal. We just reached and actually EXCEEDED our goal. We are now actively working on getting the tank ordered and readied for installation. In additon, with the extra funds, we will lookt repairing or replacing the tank on our older truck as well! Check back next week and we should have an update on our progress Thank you, Thank you Thank you!!"

Original post: http://wildlifewaystation.org/about/leaking-truck

Good news. :) The GoFundMe campaign was a success and Chrom is able to get the surgery.

"UPDATE! We did it! We made the goal and a little more to be exact! Thank you for all the reblogs and donations . You all are such wonderful people! Chrom and I are really greatful for this. 😻😻😸😸 I called in for surgery dates already they’ll get back to me at the earliest tomorrow."

From Tumblr: http://chirp-ina.tumblr.com/post/146128846890/please-help-me-save-chrom

Yaaaaaaaay! Great news and i also want to thank everyone that donated and shared and spread the word. We did it!!! Now all Chrom needs to do is recover. I am sure the surgery will be a success and hopefully Chrom will recover fast.

I will give another update once that happens. :)

Send positive thoughts to little Chrom. :)

"We are fighting to end the brutal practice in Asia of torturing dogs before slaughtering them for meat, out of the misguided belief that tortured dog meat tastes better or can provide health benefits. 

Due to a widely held belief that high adrenaline levels will produce tender meat and increase the supposed health benefits, dogs are sadistically made to experience extreme fear and suffering prior to death. They are tortured, dismembered, burned alive, electrocuted, crucified and nail gunned into walls, where they are kept alive to endure intolerable pain for sometimes up to 40 hours. Many of the toy breeds are boiled alive and then made into herbal supplements. 

Marc Ching has seen and video taped all of this firsthand, and even witnessed a dog strung up and burned alive with a blow torch right out in public at a local market where passersby were completely unfazed."


"The mission of the Animal Hope And Wellness Foundation is to shine a light on this very dark and barbaric practice. To expose the torture to the world in order to enact change and force the government to create laws to protect these precious animals from unfounded and cruel tradition." ~Marc Ching

HELP MARC CHING END THE DOG & CAT MEAT SLAUGHTER IN ASIA

The original article: http://www.worldanimalnews.com/content.php?content_ID=929


I searched for a petition and although there are a number of them out there i think concentrating on one is the best way to get as much support as possible. Here is one on care2 that I think is the best: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/441/776/138/end-yulin-dog-meat-eating-festival/

Another petition, this one from Change. Org: https://www.change.org/p/mr-chen-wu-yulin-governor-please-shut-down-the-yulin-dog-meat-festival-in-guangxi-china

The Yulin Dog Festival begins in two days. Please sign and share the petitions, spread the word and let's end this barbaric, unnecessary and cruel practice once and for all.

Look out for a popular hashtag on Twitter/Instagram that will be used this year and that will help the movement more efficiently.

This is Chrom. Chrom has a condition called chronic urinary blockages. These urinary blockages only happen to male cats and causes them extreme pain and can even lead to death if the cat is unable to urinate. The doctor suggested Chrom to get the perineal urethrostomy (P.U. surgery) for cats, which essentially widens his urethra so he can pass any blockage.

"Unfortunately, we cannot afford this $3000 surgery and my parents are thinking of putting him to sleep. Chrom is only 4 YEARS OLD and has plenty of time left in this world. I DO NOT want to euthanize him just because we cannot afford a simple surgery."

I can only imagine how awful it must be for a person when he/she doesn't have the necessary money to help his/her pet. I found this post on Tumblr and decided to share here. Please if you can help by donating, that would be amazing, but just sharing is also a great help.

Let's help this little guy get the healthy again. :)

Here is the original post: http://chirp-ina.tumblr.com/post/145931853095/please-help-me-save-chrom
GoFundMe page: https://www.gofundme.com/2958tkc

Please watch and share this video, and if you can, donate. The Rhinos and their protectors need us.


You can donate here: http://www.gofundme.com/iapfurgentappeal

The proposal to lift the protection on the Golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) has been made by a majority of members in the energy and environment committee Tuesday last week. The goal of the new proposal is to reduce the population of Golden Eagles in the belief that this will reduce the deaths of livestock, like reindeer, which some believe are killed by Golden Eagles.

Norsk Ornitologisk Forening (BirdLife in Norway) has said that this idea is unfounded in the scientific evidence and is actually unlikely to result in a reduction of losses in livestock. NOF has shown scientific evidence that indicates that the loss of livestock to Golden Eagles is not related to the population density of the birds.

The new proposal is planned to be voted on in the Norwegian Parliament this week. Norwegian law has protected the Golden eagles and other birds of prey since 1968.

Kjetil Solbakken, CEO of NOF, says "Shooting Golden Eagles is unheard of in Europe. The removal of Golden Eagles that haven’t caused any damage will almost certainly…place Norway in the international Hall of Shame." Norway’s own Environment Agency does not support this weakening of the protections for Norwegian Golden Eagles.

The NOF has launched a petition to get the support for these birds. We need to show Norway that what they are planning is wrong and protect them. Please sign and share this petition far and wide:

Don´t kill Golden Eagles in Norway!

The whole article can be found here: Norway proposes cull of Golden Eagles

Official site of the NOF is here: http://www.birdlife.no/

Quite possibly the best maps to check for Lyme Disease is a canine map since dogs are frequently checked for Lyme disease. Here is one: http://www.dogsandticks.com/diseases_in_your_area.php

What can we do to protect ourselves?

1. Avoid tick habitat as much as possible. Ticks are usually near the ground or in leaf litter, grasses, bushes and fallen logs. Gathering firewood, leaning against tree trunks or playing in leaves are high risk activities. If you go hiking, you should stay on cleared paths.

2. Dress appropriately in order to protect yourself: Wear shoes, socks, long pants and long sleeves. Tie back long hair and wear a hat. You can wear light-colored clothing, so any tick could be spotted easily. Also, there is an option to buy clothing that has been pre-treated with the repellent permethrin at outdoor recreation stores. The protection lasts through 70 washings. You can also purchase permethrin yourself and spray clothing. It lasts 5-6 washings. Spray the inside and outside of clothes. Spraying footwear with permethrin will prevent ticks from crawling up your shoes.

3. Use repellent on exposed skin: Repellents with DEET, picaridin or lemon eucalyptus oil are the most effective.

4. Check for ticks often.  When outdoors, inspect your clothing and skin for ticks. Brush off those that aren't attached and remove any that are.

5. Shower immediately after spending time outdoors: Feel for bumps that might be embedded ticks. Pay careful attention to hidden places, including groin, armpits, back of knees, belly button and scalp. Parents should check their children. Also check your clothes again. Running your clothes in a hot dryer for 10 minutes before you wash them will kill any ticks that may be there.

6. Protect your pets: Ticks can infect dogs and cats, too. Also, ticks can get on their fur and they can carry them inside your home. Consult with your veterinarian about tick-protection for your pets.

For more information, like how is Lyme diagnosed, what are the available treatments or prevention methods like vaccines, visit: https://www.lymedisease.org/. Also LymeDisease.org has a Facebook page, Twitter and Youtube.

In the 1930s and 1940s there were between 3 and 5 million elephants in Africa. Today, there are only around 470,000 left.

Elephants are killed for their tusks and used in the illegal black market for ivory. China, Hong Kong, Thailand and the United States are among the largest markets.

Because they are threatened with extinction, the elephants are protected from international trade by their listing on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) since 1989. Sadly that didn't stop poachers from going out there and killing these animals.

The US, China and other countries are allowing the legal trade in ivory that dates back to before the 1989 international ivory ban. The problem with that is that it’s nearly impossible to tell the difference between pre-ban ivory and illegally poached ivory.

Ivory can be substituted with ethical, sustainable alternatives and the only way to save Africa’s remaining elephants is to end all ivory trade.

WildAid's goal is to end the ivory trade once and for all.

What can we do?

1. WildAid has launched the Year of the Elephant, a campaign call to action to end the ivory trade for good and ensure a kind future for elephants. When you #JoinTheHerd, you help to make this the first-ever “Year of the Elephant.” The year we stop the ivory trade. And the year when more elephants are born than killed by poachers.


Visit: yearoftheelephant.org where you can make a "Join The Herd" picture and share it to raise awareness.

2. We can sign the pledge and promise to spread the word to save Africa’s remaining elephants and to never buy or accept ivory. To support government actions to end the ivory trade and to be part of the solution.

Here is the link for the pledge: Take The Pledge

3. Today, on Saturday, April 30, Kenya Wildlife Service will host the largest ivory burn in history to serve as a statement against elephant poaching. You can watch the event live. It will be live on Periscope at 5 AM in PDT (New York: 8AM, London: 1PM, Beijing: 8PM).


For more information, visit WildAid and follow the organization to stay updated with upcoming actions.

And let's not forget: When the buying stops, the killing will too!