Welcome to the 100th Prayer Circle for Animals Weekly Update. Considering all the prayers and compassionate thoughts from over 600 people each week that have been sent out to honor, memorialize, bless, and thank the animals of the world, our hundredth week is something to celebrate. I love being part of this dedicated circle of compassion that continues to expand. Even though we can't know each person in our circle personally, there is a loving kinship among us that is so precious, empowering, and uplifting.

This week, I'd like to suggest that we send love and comfort to a group of animals that I'm hearing more about lately. These are animals in traveling exhibits that are being transported from zoo to zoo in tiny enclosures. Zoos pay large amounts of money for these exhibits and use them to increase zoo attendance.

I visited a traveling penguin exhibit recently that was beyond inhumane. Six or seven penguins were in a glass aquarium with a few rocks and barely enough water to jump into. It was about 10 feet by 6 feet by maybe 6 feet deep with no opening to outside air (other than a few vents) and no sunshine. The penguins are forced to live in this manner and are transported to zoos several times a year.

The Topeka, KS, zoo recently announced it is bringing a traveling exhibit entitled "Alligator Frenzy... A Bayou Adventure." According to the news article, "Zoo director Brendan Wiley said at a news conference that the exhibit will feature a rare, 7-foot-long Albino alligator, and a feeding lagoon containing 40 to 50 juvenile American Alligators. Visitors will be able to feed the alligators and take photos, while smaller pocket exhibits will feature various animals found in the swamp including an opossum, crow, turkey vulture, turtles and a variety of snakes, amphibians, and insects."

These exhibits are taking humanity backwards in animal consciousness. The media hype will bring many to the zoos who might not otherwise go, and they will be programmed further at the zoo that they are helping conservation and animals in general by attending the zoo. This furthers the cultural concept that animals are things to be treated as we wish, and that digs people even deeper into the idea that animals are ours to eat, wear, gawk at, and incarcerate against their will. Taking away their freedom is ok, because it benefits human beings, and we can justify it by saying we are helping with conservation.

This week let us encourage our friends to encourage their friends to never attend a zoo and support this exploitation; and let us help everyone we know to understand that animals are not ours to kill, eat, or use in any way. Let us pray for this beautiful circular rainbow of compassion to expand around the world and touch the heart of absolutely every human being on earth.

May all beings under the sun live as one.

With Love, peace, and gratitude from Judy, and Will, Madeleine, and the Circle of Compassion team