VIP supporters of International Animal Rescue will gather at London’s George Club on Wednesday 10 September to raise funds for the charity’s vital work saving the lives of suffering animals around the world.
The exclusive venue and its team of staff are generously being provided free of charge for a second year running by the proprietors at George.
This year funds from the event will go towards the International Animal Rescue Orangutan Rescue and Conservation Centre in West Borneo, Indonesia, where the survival of the species is under serious threat. In Borneo animals are suffering and dying because of the systematic destruction of their rainforest habitat, primarily for the palm oil industry. The majority of orangutans at the centre are orphaned babies or juveniles who develop the skills and the strength they will need to survive in the wild under the watchful eye of IAR’s team of vets and ‘babysitters.’
International Animal Rescue’s Orangutan Rescue and Conservation Centre is situated on 64 hectares of land in Sungai Awan, Ketapang Regency. Here the rescued orangutans are prepared for release back into protected areas of forest far from human habitation. Any animals that can no longer survive in the wild are given a permanent home at the centre. The project is an ambitious one but International Animal Rescue is committed to rescuing and rehabilitating as many orangutans as possible and giving them a second chance to live safely in their natural environment.
The event at George aims to help raise funds to purchase more land and create ‘island’ sanctuaries as ‘soft release’ sites for the adults on their journey back to the wild. It is likely that a small number of orangutans like JoJo who suffered permanent physical damage during his years in captivity, will spend the rest of their lives an island sanctuary. Here they will enjoy the freedom of the forest in a safe, secure environment where they can be fed and monitored by the International Animal Rescue team.
The auction by Sotheby’s on the night will feature a Quentin Blake original, a luxury French Spa break, and special items donated by supporters Vivienne Westwood, Bill Bailey and Fearne Cotton, as well as many others.
For more information, watch clips from the National Geographic Documentary Orangutan Rescue: Back to the Wild about the work of International Animal Rescue in Borneo, which premiered on 29 June 2014: http://natgeotv.com/uk/orangutan-rescue-back-to-the-wild