7th September 2009
We are doing all we can to keep you up to date with the total amount raised so far. Unfortunately this is proving difficult as we are receiving donations from many different sources, all of which have to be recorded, checked and then cleared. At midnight every day we update the total on our www.Justgiving.com/lionrescue website. The Online Total shows the total amount of money raised by people donating using www.Justgiving.com/lionrescue to make a donation. The Offline Total shows the amount accumulated from cheques received in the post, donations taken at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park (Collection Buckets), donations received via PayPal and direct bank transfer. We will also be including this week donations which have been sent directly to the Wildlife Heritage Foundation.
The important thing to recognise is that the total raised is going up and the amount needed to bring the lions to their new home here in Yorkshire is coming down, with every single donation, no matter how it is made.
Many thanks to those who have donated so far.
6th September 2009
The total amount raised so far is just over £45,000. A huge thank you to all those who have donated. To see the latest total please visit www.Justgiving.com/LionRescue.
Please visit www.NOTW.co.uk to see the latest article
5th September 2009
Total raised so far online has exceeded £20,000 A huge thank you to all those who have donated. To see the latest total please visit www.Justgiving.com/LionRescue. We really need your support to save these magnificent creatures. Time is not on our side so we need to act fast. Please do all you can to promote this campaign. Please e-mail all your friends, family and work colleagues and ask them to do the same. We really are the last hope these Lions have.
3rd September 2009
Please send a link to this website to all of your friends, family and work colleagues. If you have a Facebook Account please post a link to www.LionRescue.co.uk.
2nd September 2009
A huge thank you to all those who donated yesterday. We still have a long way to go until we hit our target of £150,000. Please send a link to this website to all of your friends, family and work colleagues. If you have a Facebook Account please post a link to www.LionRescue.co.uk.
1st September 2009
Total raised so far is £15077. A huge thank you to all those who have donated. To see the latest total please visit www.Justgiving.com/LionRescue. We really need your support to save these magnificent creatures. Time is not on our side so we need to act fast. Please do all you can to promote this campaign. Please e-mail all your friends, family and work colleagues and ask them to do the same. We really are the last hope these Lions have.
Thank you
August 31st 2009
Just over £6500 raised so far... A huge thank you to all those who donated yesterday. We still have a long way to go until we hit our target of £150,000. Please send a link to this website to all of your friends, family and work colleagues. If you have a Facebook Account please post a link to www.LionRescue.co.uk.
Please go to www.Justgiving.com/LionRescue to make a donation.
30th August 2009
The BBC News Homepage are supporting our campaign - please click on one of the images below to view.
August 29th 2009
www.Justgiving.com/LionRescue website goes live.
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the Lion Rescue Campaign and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - We raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.
August 25th 2009
Donate Online- Simply click on the Donate button below and you will be transferred to our online donations website hosted by PayPal.
August 15th 2009
The Future for Oradea Zoo
Oradea Zoo may be eligible for a grant in the future to modernise and redevelop the zoo but this would not help the lions now. The current zoo staff and director need help, guidance and support from the zoo community as do many other institutions across Eastern Europe. Yorkshire Wildlife Park hopes to create an ongoing partnership with Oradea and mentor an appropriate new development which will be sustainable for the future.
August 14th 2009
The Move
The facility is unlikely to be complete by the time of the move if YWP hits the November deadline to complete the move before the snows of winter close in. However, the core house and holding areas would be complete , in order to securely hold the lions during their 6 month rabies quarantine which can take place on site.
The move from Romania (most likely by road in convoy) with lions and the other animals coming to the UK and primates to the Welsh Monkey Rescue Centre) will undoubtedly cause quite a stir not just in Doncaster but in the UK.
July 2009
Visit to Oradea Zoo by Yorkshire Wildlife Park Animal Director John Minion
John visited the zoo in July after the call for help. The Zoo is in a very poor state of repair and has inexperienced staff to maintain animal husbandry levels. Romanian zoos now have to abide by European legislation which means that Oradea Zoo must address these issues. The animal facilities are very poor – the smallest pen contains 5 lions and measures 3.5m x 4m. The facilities are also poorly constructed and falling down in parts. There is a lack of money for food and repairs. There are also bears and wolves in poor conditions. If the fundraising campaign is a real success, there is a very real chance that the bears and wolves could also be repatriated to Yorkshire Wildlife Park. John was moved by the plight of the lions – and especially by one lioness whose spirit was not crushed by the tiny cage that she was kept in but came over to him and rubbed her head against the bars encouraging John to scratch her head, making happy noised just like a cat. At that moment, John knew that he had to do all that he could to get the lions out of there.
