On the third Monday of every January, Americans reflect on the impact of one of America’s greatest civil rights leaders, Martin Luther King Jr.

But MLK’s legacy extends far beyond the modern civil rights movement. In addition to championing equality for Americans of all colors, the Georgia preacher inspired America’s animal welfare and environmental movements, too.

On the eve of his assassination, for example, King was applying his policy of non-violent resistance to help sanitation workers strike for better working conditions in Memphis, Tennessee. King refused to stand by while Black Americans worked in unsafe and unsanitary conditions and for just a fraction of the money earned by their White counterparts. “You don’t get more environmental justice than that,” the executive director of the NYC Environmental Justice Alliance, Eddie Bautista, told Grist. “All the environment really is is where you live, work, play, or pray.”

MLK Jr. … Read the rest

While people are still able to visit the area by foot or bicycle, they must stay at least 20m away from the New Zealand sea lions which are endangered, and one of the world’s rarest species of sea lions on earth. The Dunedin City Council also advised people walking their

A little orphan kitten snuck into a nest of small kittens and decided he would be part of their family.

Bella @bellanmeow

Bella, an animal rescuer and fosterer based in Indonesia, came across a motherless kitten who was in desperate need of rescue.

The kitten was just skin and bones and very dirty and hungry. “He was about 1.5 months old when I found him on the street, covered in filth and grease,” Bella told Love Meow.

Without a carrier, Bella placed the kitten in a box and gave him something to eat. The starving little guy wolfed down all the food that his tummy could possibly fit.

Bella @bellanmeow

After getting him all cleaned up and vetted, the kitten named Daniboi settled into his foster home and rested a ton, making up for lost sleep.

When he was medically clear, the kitten joined the other rescues in the house … Read the rest

This story was originally shared in the Clear the Shelters Adoption Story Challenge on ShelterChallenge.com. Create your own free Shelter Challenge account and vote for your favorite shelter or rescue group to win cash and prizes. Every time you vote we’ll give an extra donation to shelters!

Every animal that comes to Dane County Humane Society has a story, many of which we’ll never know.

Last December, a Good Samaritan found Nana lost and injured wandering near Elver Park in Madison. When she arrived at Dane County Humane Society (DCHS), we knew this Pit Bull Terrier mix needed immediate help. One of Nana’s paws was bleeding and swollen. As she limped and avoided using her leg, it was obvious she was in significant pain.

DCHS’s Animal Medical Services (AMS) team took x-rays of Nana and found that, despite her injured paw, the rest of her leg was normal. Since … Read the rest

1. Heartbreaking News! Six Park Rangers Have Been Attacked & Killed By Armed Assailants In Virunga National Park

It is with immense sadness that Virunga National Park confirms the deaths of six Park Rangers in an attack by armed assailants, that occurred on Sunday, January 10, 2021.

One Ranger was seriously wounded in the assault. Fortunately, the Ranger has been taken to a hospital in Goma and his injuries are no longer considered life-threatening.

At approximately 7:30am, the Rangers were ambushed while on foot patrol inside the Park. The attack took place near Kabuendo, which is located near the border of the Park, in the Central sector, between Nyamilima and Niamitwitwi.

According to a statement by Virunga National Park, preliminary investigations indicate that the Rangers were taken by surprise and had no opportunity to defend themselves, and that those responsible for the attack are local Mai-Mai groups.

The identities of

A young cat walked up to a kind person for help, and brought someone very special with her.

Chatons Orphelins Montréal

On a weekend last fall, Milena, a volunteer of Chatons Orphelins Montréal (a cat rescue in Montreal, Canada), was on her way to meet another volunteer after leaving a vet clinic. She decided to take a different route, a shortcut to save time.

While she was walking down the alley way, she noticed a pair of eyes piercing from the bush. A grey kitten, about seven months old, was curiously staring at her. Milena stopped and called to the young cat in a soft voice, and right away, the kitty came running.

“That’s when she noticed that the kitten was pregnant with a big belly. She seemed to be hungry, so Milena opened a can of food that she happened to have in her purse,” Celine Crom of Chatons … Read the rest

The name Struble should resonate to everyone from hobby fly rod builders, custom builders, and to long standing fly rod companies. They have been on the map for decades and what began in 1974 with Glenn Struble, and continued with Jeffery Pentecost, is now in new hands with Steven Van Winkle (who you may know from Shopkeeper Fly Rods) and his partner, John Smith.

As I was putting this T.F.M. post together, I asked Steven if he had a shop photograph of he and John together and he responded back that “Everything has been such a whirlwind and we’ve known each other forever, I guess we never even thought to take a picture yet.”  

I guess that’s a good place to be at when you’ve taken over a heritage shop with a longstanding history of excellence and many exciting developments to come in the future. 

There’s a lot … Read the rest

There are many beautiful things in this world but there is nothing quite like the sight of a wild mustang running free. It’s something that far too few people get to experience in real life. For those who run a horse sanctuary that focuses on rescuing those mustangs, it is not only a common sight but also a place where magical things happen.

When a picture appeared on American Wildhorse Campaign, it caught the attention of Clare Staples, the founder and president of Skydog Sanctuary. The pictures showed Phoenix, a wild mustang, trying to jump out of a catch pen while his girlfriend, Ghost, was watching on.

Phoenix was able to get out of the pen that day but he wasn’t willing to go very far. He came back to keep an eye on his family. Staples said that it is not out of the ordinary for wild mustangs to … Read the rest

Following yesterday’s disturbing news that a manatee was found on Sunday in Florida with the word ‘TRUMP’ etched on its body, WAN talked to Christina Meister with the Office of Public Affairs at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service headquarters who confirmed that they are currently investigating the situation.

While it is an open investigation and updates are limited, Meister did share with WAN that, “The manatee does not appear to be seriously injured as it seems that the word was written in algae on the animal’s back.”

“However, touching, harming or harassing West Indian manatees is still illegal and is a violation of the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act,” continued Meister, who stated that it “does cause harm as it can cause stress and or interfere

A kitten who was abandoned along with his siblings, found a new lease on life through the kindness of a family.

Caroline Grace

A litter of four kittens was found abandoned outside at just two weeks old. They were brought to Saving One Life and in desperate need of foster care. Caroline Grace, a volunteer of the rescue, stepped up to help.

Chester (ginger), the runt of the litter, needed extra attention and TLC. “He had an eye infection, and one of his eyes was sealed shut when he first arrived,” Caroline told Love Meow.

After some warm compresses combined with eye ointment, Caroline was able to get the gunk off, so the kitten could open his eye. “I had an immediate connection with him and he was instantly my favorite.”

Caroline Grace

While other kittens continued to make strides, Chester suddenly deteriorated due to Fading Kitten Syndrome. He … Read the rest