My personal journey began 25 years ago on the island of Dominica in the Eastern Caribbean, dubbed the Nature Island, where I spent much of my childhood playing outside in the countryside, all the while enamored by nature.

Last month we shared the wonderful news that Vejpa, a young puma, was rescued by Senda Verda Wildlife Sanctuary, the Bolivian refuge we're helping. Here's his story.

In our last blog, we identified the critical role that reputable sanctuaries, like our campaign partner Senda Verde in Bolivia, play in protecting animals rescued from the wildlife trade.

Many recent headlines are linking the COVID-19 pandemic directly to this same wildlife trade. We asked Damien Mander, Founder and CEO of the International Anti-Poaching Foundation, to connect the dots for us.

We founded Senda Verde in 2003 in the subtropical region east of the Bolivian Andes. With deforestation and wildlife trafficking reaching peak levels, we saw an urgent need to inspire and educate the Bolivian people about the value of the living forest through the conservation of flora and fauna.

Chances are you’ve seen or read about a recent Netflix documentary bringing attention to roadside zoos and sanctuaries. And since Well Beings has partnered with Bolivia’s largest and most reputable animal sanctuary - Senda Verde - for our current campaign, we wanted to dispel some myths, share important facts.

Maruca is doing better than she was two weeks ago. She had some blisters in her mouth but they've been treated and have cleared up. Despite the blisters and the quarantine, Maruca's life at Senda Verde Wildlife Sanctuary is so much safer and gentler than it was before she was rescued.

As you know, Well Beings celebrates and advocates for the interconnection between animals, the planet, and people. With this mission in mind, we recently travelled to the Bolivian Amazon, where, last year, 13.1 million acres of crucial forest were destroyed.

Torrential rain swept across Australia's east coast over the weekend after years of drought — putting out two of the biggest and longest-burning bushfires in the country’s populous region of New South Wales. What do we really know about these wildfires and how this cycle of drought and deluge might be connected to deforestation and climate change? Here are some important facts about wildfires, deforestation, and climate change, which all have an impact on the homes and habitats of many people and animals.

We don't know, but humans helping to save quokka homes and habitats is probably high on the list! These adorable marsupials occupy a number of different habitats, including semi-arid scrub forests. In fact, many animals consider forests home.

More than we might think.

That's because when we burn fossil fuels, carbon is converted to carbon dioxide (CO2) and released into the air. Like most things, that's not so bad when it happens in moderation.

And also some important fact about wildfires, deforestation, and climate change, which according to National Geographic, all have an impact on the homes and habitats of animals just like this.

Recently, Well Beings partnered with Maison de Mode to host a Climate for Change event in NYC where we showcased brands we love to support - brands that value and respect both animals and the environment.

It was a beautiful benefit at a beautiful private estate which is also home to over 50 animals, many of whom are rescues. The crowd was both inspired and humbled by the innovative programs spotlighted by Well Beings.

Did you know that almost 50% of domestic violence victims stay in abusive situations because they don’t want to leave their pet behind? This staggering statistic is made worse by the fact that only 3% of domestic violence shelters allow family pets to accompany victims. Domestic abuse rates in the United States are directly affected by animal welfare. It’s a surprising correlation, and one of the many Breanna and I discovered when we started our animal welfare non-profit finn2finn Alliance.