THE STORY: Hello everyone! I'm raising money for Elephant Haven, the first sanctuary in Europe for retired circus elephants. They now have their first elephant, Ghandi, who came and is at her forever home. This is SO exciting. Please join me in donating to them. Sofie and Tony have been tirelessly working to achieve their goal. No amount is too small!. Thank you! ❤️❤️ WAYS TO DONATE TO ELEPHANT HAVEN: <a href="https://www.elephanthaven.com/en/help/donate"><a href="https://www.elephanthaven.com/en/help/donate" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://www.elephanthaven.com/en/help/donate</a></a> <iframe media_type="0" media_id="y7ykhEQgNhM" class="youtube-replace" title="YouTube video player" style="margin-bottom:20px;width:560px;height:315px;" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/y7ykhEQgNhM/?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="1"></iframe> <img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/53495158_1642362423268476_r.jpeg" alt="53495158_1642362423268476_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /><img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/53495158_1642362445463329_r.jpeg" alt="53495158_1642362445463329_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /><img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/53495158_1642362463495979_r.jpeg" alt="53495158_1642362463495979_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /> <img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/53495158_1642362828647451_r.jpeg" alt="53495158_1642362828647451_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /><img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/53495158_1642362851847018_r.jpeg" alt="53495158_1642362851847018_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /><img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/53495158_1642362879808890_r.jpeg" alt="53495158_1642362879808890_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /> Why Elephant Haven? There are more than 100 elephants in circuses in Europe! More and more European countries are banning wild animals in circuses. But where are we to place them? Relocating them back to their country of origin is not always a realistic option. In Europe there was no sanctuary. Elephant Haven European Elephant Sanctuary (EHEES)  wants to offer elephants space and tranquility for life.    Where? 25th of May 2016 EHEES completed the sale for land of almost 29 hectares (72acres), (with the possibility to expand) located in St. Nicolas Courbefy, Bussière Galant, Nouvelle Aquitaine, Limousin, France.  <img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/53495158_1608749577385277_r.jpeg" alt="53495158_1608749577385277_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /> ELEPHANT BARN The existing open barn on the land has to be closed and insulated. It needs windows and doors, ventilation, heating, a caregiver area and an inside structure for elephants. Inside there will also be sandboxes and a corridor, which can be connected to one another. There will be an adjacent outside paddock.  <img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/53495158_1608749612174547_r.jpeg" alt="53495158_1608749612174547_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /><img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/53495158_1608749618152755_r.jpeg" alt="53495158_1608749618152755_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /> LET US UNITE TO OFFER ELEPHANTS A PLACE TO ENJOY THEIR RETIREMENT. TOGETHER WE CAN ACHIEVE MORE. Thanks to the generous help from supporters, businesses and organizations, we can start putting up the first 4 hectares (10 acres) of elephant fence. We will expand from there as soon as possible.    Of course, Phase 1 will cost more than $50,000, but remember, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." (Chinese philosopher Lao-Tzu)       <img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/53495158_1608749698877116_r.jpeg" alt="53495158_1608749698877116_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /> EHEES timeline: <a href="http://www.elephanthaven.com/en/elephant-haven/elephant-info-eng" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">http://www.elephanthaven.com/en/elephant-haven/elephant-info-eng</a> 2016: Files, licensing and research, submitting building permit, and the start of phase 1: Making a part of the perimeter fence. 2017-2018: Continue phase 1- a conversion from an existing open stable to a barn suitable for maximum 3 elephants. Fence the first four hectares and night paddock for the elephants and continue making the perimeter fence. 2018-2019: This year we can offer a place to retire for the first elephants. After getting autorisation, we are allowed to receive the first visitors, and for that, a walking path and lookout platform will be built. (Phase 2)The elephants will never be disturbed. 2019-2022: Construction of second barn, of the education centre and the multipurpose space. (The second barn cannot immediately be built because the urbanization plan needs to be changed.) (Phase 3) 2022-... : Purchase adjoining land (Phase 4) <img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/53495158_1608749733254578_r.jpeg" alt="53495158_1608749733254578_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" />      Any donation (large or small, monthly or a one-off) means a support and allows us the opportunity to offer a place to retire the first elephants.   See what your donations will be used for: <a href="http://www.elephanthaven.com/en/help-out/wish-list" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">http://www.elephanthaven.com/en/help-out/wish-list</a>    The values of an elephant brings us back to basics and we want to let everybody know. We can learn so much from them. They touch us in the depths of our soul… out of respect …    BY PLEDGING YOUR DONATION YOU ARE HELPING ELEPHANTS IN EUROPE TO RETIRE.   We are eternally grateful for your generosity and support and we thank you in advance for joining us on this very special journey.   THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT! <img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/53495158_1608749765174448_r.jpeg" alt="53495158_1608749765174448_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" />

katrina beit

Marina de Rooy

Cassandra Long

Lisa Haut

Cynthia O’Connor

Maureen Wasley

Anonymous

Mary Ellen Jones

Barbara Banks

William Perry

Roberta Limoli-Barufaldi

Bonnie Rosenblum

Dianne Idgie Stone

Dawn DeVries

Michelle E Rice

Elephant Haven-1st Europe Sanctuary

Elephant Haven-1st Europe Sanctuary

Still $6,246 to go. Help us build momentum.