The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee is also an awesome place for retired zoo or circus elephants with over 2500 acres for the ladies to live out the rest of their lives. With open spaces and an environment where they can establish wonderful bonds with other fellow elephants.  Many of the elephants who have come to the sanctuary came with a common and painful foot disease due to standing on concrete most of their lives and also having limited space to roam.  A wild elephant will roam 30 to 50 miles a day.  A captive elephant lives in nothing more than a prison.  Many of them were once born wild and free to only be taken from their mothers and families as babies to then be sold to zoos and circuses. The Elephant Sanctuary is the next best thing to being wild.  Thank you. (www.elephants.com)

There too many sanctuaries out there that it is impossible to mention them all.  Thank you to all of the places that strive to provide the most natural and loving environments for so many kinds of animals, both domestic and wild.  We must not forget the wildlife rehabilitation centers as well- where people rescue and rehabilitate injured wildlife and when it is at all possible- release them back into the wild.   And for all the animal shelters, particularly the no-kill ones, that do their diligence to find permanent homes for all kinds of animals such as Marquette's UPAWS-  Thank you.

For the places that honor animals and see them as the unique individuals that they truly are and don't see them as commodities or existing for human purposes but simply exist for themselves.  Thank you for advocating for those who are unable to.  Thank you.

Approximately 45 million turkeys are eaten each Thanksgiving in America and about 22 million more on Christmas.  Please consider adopting a turkey for the holidays this year at a farm sanctuary- this adoption can also be given as a gift for someone else.

Adopt A Turkey And Teach Compassion This Thanksgiving.  More at: www.sashafarm.org. 

In the words of Dav Pilkey from his wonderful book "Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving" in which 8 children went on a field trip to a small turkey farm to discover the 8 turkeys they befriended were to be chopped up for Thanksgiving feasts, later hid each turkey under their clothes as they boarded back on their bus: 

"The very next morning, Eight families were blessed with eight fluffy Thanksgiving turkeys as guests. They feasted on veggies with jelly and toast, and everyone was thankful (the turkeys were most!).  So each one gave thanks for love and for living,

And they all had a wonderful Happy Thanksgiving."

Ninety-Five

Meeting America's Farmed Animals in Stories and Photographs

By No Voice Unheard

Ninety-Five (this is the approximate number of animals we spare each year when adopting a vegan diet) is a wonderful coffee table book.  Great for both adults and children alike.  Meet animals who have been rescued and can live the rest of their lives in sanctuaries.  Read about their past and present stories and the unique and sometimes quirky persons they are.  Funny, endearing, poignant.  This is a wonderful book to own and as well can make a wonderful gift.  Visit: http://novoiceunheard.org/

And if you are considering a companion animal at any time, such as a dog or cat or any other (rats, mice, you name it)- PLEASE ALWAYS ADOPT AND NEVER SHOP. Thank you for doing so.

Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year to You ALL!