Friday Night Soother
I know that the animal lovers who enjoy the Friday Night Soother are already heartsick over what's happening in Australia. I'm not going to feature any of the video because I know you've all seen it and it's horrifying. They are estimating that one billion animals have perished and untold numbers will be on the endangered species list if not actually extinct.
It is a nightmare.
Obviously, the most important thing all humans can do is work to ensure that this planet confronts the climate crisis immediately. We all have to vote for leaders that take the crisis seriously and are willing to put it at the very top of the agenda. Australia's Prime Minister is a coal fanatic who believes in the Rapture. He's certainly not going to do anything to mitigate this kind of disaster. You already know our own president is so daft that he incoherently claims that he doesn't think climate change is a hoax because he likes clean air and water --- as he's curtailing regulations that have been in place for more than 50 years to clean up our air and water.
There are some small direct ways to help the Australian wildlife:
In order to help injured and displaced animals, organizations need monetary support to meet new demands. WIRES, an emergency fund for wildlife, has seen a spike in rescues since the bushfires started: “In December alone there were over 20,000 calls to WIRES 1300 line, a 14 percent increase on last year, and volunteers attended over 3,300 rescues,” WIRES wrote on their website. You can make a donation to WIRES on their Facebook page or via PayPal.
The RSPCA is also accepting donations to help with their efforts of gathering and evacuating threatened animals, as well as assisting at evacuation centers. Their staff will also be entering affected areas to treat injured animals and pets. You can make a donation to the RSPCA NSW here.
To help koalas displaced by the fires, you can give to the World Wildlife Fund, who will be using donations to help restore the “Koala Triangle," a portion of Australia’s east coast hit hardest by the fires. In addition, Port Macquarie Koala Hospital is installing koala water stations in burnt areas, as well as establishing the world’s first wild koala breeding program. You can donate to their GoFundMe here.
The gift of food and supplies can go a long way for rescue groups and shelters in need. If you prefer to donate items rather than cash, The Rescue Collective, a group based in Brisbane, is gathering food, medical supplies, bedding and more — you can check out their current wish list on Facebook.
Those who enjoy crafting, sewing or knitting can contribute to the efforts of the Animal Rescue Collective Craft Guild by making bedding, bandages, joey pouches and more for injured or orphaned animals. Find out how on the guild's Facebook page.
I got those links from the Dodo. I'm sure there are others. And if you are a praying person, spare one for those critters.
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