It will come as no surprise to pet owners…. An international group of prominent scientists has signed The Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness in which they are proclaiming their support for the idea that animals are conscious and aware to the degree that humans are – a list of animals that includes all mammals, birds, and even the octopus. But, as one reporter writes, “Will this make us stop treating these animals in totally inhumane ways?”

So how do we encourage our children’s spirituality and in particular, how to receive guidance from the many voices of Spirit? How do we influence our children’s familiarity and appreciation of the natural world and come to know the Life force that expresses not only through but also as everything? It starts with overcoming the addiction to technological devices and getting outside as much as possible. From there we can teach our children by our own fascination with the magic that’s inherent in the Earth.

Check out the exciting activities at the Wolf Conservation Center in South Salem! Use the webcam to keep an eye on the four breeding wolf pairs at the WCC. On May 6, a litter of pups were born to the endangered Mexican gray wolves F749 & M740, and more are very likely on the way! For rates or to register for events go to: www.nywolf.org

“Eight sea lions have been found shot dead in the US state of Washington in the past few weeks, wildlife officials have told a local TV station. The bodies of seven sea lions with bullet wounds were recently found on the Nisqually River, KING-TV reports… The Seal Sitters say the eighth dead animal was a California sea lion, a mature male. The species is protected under the US Marine Mammal Protection Act .”

“Chelonoidis elephantopus lived on the island of Floreana, and was heavily hunted, especially by whalers who visited the Galapagos to re-stock. A Yale University team found hybrid tortoises on another island, Isabela, that appear to have C. elephantopus as one of their parents. Some hybrids are only 15 years old, so their parents are likely to be alive.”

“Due to insider conflicts, the Board Of Directors of The Elephant Sanctuary voted Carol out, forced her to leave her own organization and have now prevented her from being with Tarra. Carol and Tarra were close friends for over 30 years. .. The Board of Directors have insisted that they are doing everything possible to comfort Tarra during this sad time but they are not allowing Carol to visit… This is where YOU come in. Please sign this petition AND WRITE to CEO Rob Atkinson and the Board of Directors . Urge them to allow Carol to have access to the elephant she raised and rescued,in the organization that would never have come to be without her hard work and altruism…”

“I am privileged to call Carol Buckley my friend, and I was also honored to work for several years as the Managing Director of The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. After being fired from the Sanctuary in 2010, Carol continues to improve the lives of captive elephants worldwide by founding Elephant Aid International and traveling throughout Asia in her mission of helping one elephant at a time… Carol was and IS one of the few people who are aware of the depths of animal suffering. I watched her for over three years, live, breathe and feel for not only the elephants in her care, but the other elephants still held captive.“

“… What I loved about this sanctuary is that it was the opposite of a zoo. Not only did the elephants have woods and streams and ponds and rivers to wander through (more than 2000 acres!), the public was not cordially invited to gape and throw popcorn at the elephants (but observation cameras allowed people to view online the real lives of real elephants). They lived, for animals not in their own environment, as close to a natural life as we can ever expect to see. It was truly an inspiration. The sanctuary was for the elephants, not for us…”

“Also known as ‘the Kitty Freud’, Carole wrote a monthly column, Cats on the Couch, for “Cat Fancy” magazine for 16 years, and is currently a columnist for In Defense of Animals . She gives seminars at The Open Center and 92nd Street Y in Manhattan as well as The Learning Annex in Toronto…From her work emerged ‘The Wilbourn Way’ – logical, easily implemented methods of preventing and/or correcting common feline emotional problems...In addition, Carole is a staff consultant and sees clients at Westside Veterinary Center in New York City. Carole serves on the board of the Humane Society of New York. Carole is also available for appointments at Westside Veterinary Center in New York City.”