Thank you so much for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I'm running the Brighton marathon in April 2017 for the amazing charity Wildlife SOS. I want to do all i can to raise awareness and funds for such an incredible cause that is really close to my heart. Wildlife SOS rescue and care for an amazing amount of India's animals. Most remarkably i think, they strive to rescue abused and neglected elephants from miserable lives spent being used for tourist rides, in circuses and begging on the streets, and bring them to a safe sanctuary to live the end of their lives without pain or fear, being happy and free and a real elephant!!!

The first time I became aware of Wildlife SOS was through their "Precious four" campaign, an ongoing battle to bring four abused and mistreated elephants away from their life performing in a cruel circus, and safely to their Elephant Conservation and Care Centre in Mathura, India. This fight is still going on, and updates on the campaign have bought me to tears many times. The charity has poured funds into legal battles and staff have put their lives at risk whilst facing angry mobs when trying to rescue these four beautiful elephants from their cruel captors. This is sadly typical of what they face when attempting to give abused elephants their freedom, however, these guys do not give up. As i've learnt more about the charity and their work, i have every faith they'll bring them safely to the sanctuary to live out their final years happily, like they have so many before. (You can read more on the campaign here : http://wildlifesos.org/blog/update-on-the-precious-four/)

To show you why i have such faith, Wildife SOS recently unshackled a fifty five year old elephant, Mohan, nicknamed "the world's unhappiest elephant", after living a life alone, forced to beg on the streets and give tourist rides. Just within the last month, after years of planning, many court cases and a long and drawn out and very dangerous rescue operation, Mohan has been brought to the sanctuary and to safety. Mohan is severly underweight and malnourished, his body has been abused and he will need a great deal of medical care going forward, but he will be able to live out his final years being free, as an elephant should be, surrounded by other elephants and for the first time ever, feeling love. (Read more on the incredible story here if you have some time : http://wildlifesos.org/blog/worlds-unluckiest-elephant-mohan-finally-unshackled/)

The charity currently has 20 Asian elephants in their Elephant Conservation and Care Centre in Mathura. The biggest problem they face now is space. They are close to capacity at their existing facility and they need to expand. They have identified land,  and their goal is to purchase 125 acres at a cost of $1.7million!!! 

Wildlife SOS have a list of 50 elephants that are waiting in bad
conditions, and they want to get them safe and rescued but they need somewhere to go!!!

It's not just elephants in the charity's care. The charity has 10 rescue centres and facilities across India in total, with approximately 500 sloth bears in their care, often rescued from lives spent dancing for tourists. They also care for leopards, black bears and many primates and reptiles. Wildlife SOS will send a rescue team to any animal needing help. They will care for the animal, providing food, medical treatment and love, until they can be released back into the wild. If they cannot be released, they will care for them in one of their centres. Obviously, the care for the 700+ animals in their care is expensive and needs a great deal of hard work. 

If you can donate any amount, large or small, i would be so grateful. You will be helping to secure happiness, love and freedom to so many more animals! 

I really do dislike running and have never done more than 10km before, so i promise i will be putting in the hard work. Knowing that the pain i go through won't be one thousandth of the pain some of these animals have been through will definitely spur me on!  All the money Wildlife SOS receive  from me goes towards Wildlife SOS' work, there was no sign up or admin fee with them and nothing has been spent on t-shirts or fundraising materials. I also promise to go and visit the Elephant and Conservation and Care Centre next year after the marathon to go and show you all how your money is being spent. 

Thank you so much for reading this, and for anything you may be able to give!!!

Love from

Lauren and all the animals in the care of Wildlife SOS x x x 

For more information please visit the charity's pages below:

info@wildlifesos.org

Twitter @wildlifesos

Facebook.com/wildlifesosindia

YouTube – Wildlife SOS