# Animal charity seeks Tooth Fairy donations to fight elephant tusk trade

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2013/09/16/animal-charity-seeks-tooth-fairy-donations-fight-elephant-tusk-trade/
- Published: 2013-09-16T13:00:02+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

Wildlife and conservation charity Care for the Wild has launched a fundraising campaign
around the theme of the Tooth Fairy tradition. The charity is inviting children 
to become 'Tooth Fairy Heroes' by pledging the money they would have received for
lost teeth to the Tooth Fairy, to help her save elephants from being killed for 
their tusks.

## 'Little teeth save big tusks'

[The Tooth Fairy campaign](http://www.careforthewild.com/toothfairy) follows on 
from the charity's lobbying of G8 leaders last month to commit foreign aid to the
fight against elephant poaching.

## Advertisement

Philip Mansbridge, CEO of Care for the Wild International, said: "The Tooth Fairy
campaign gives us the opportunity to create a powerful experience that introduces
the topic of elephant poaching and the wider issues – to highlight the brutal reality
that threatens one of the most iconic animals of the world – and show them the ways
in which their donations have a real impact on the fight against the ivory trade.”

## Mobile apps for children

The digital element of the campaign features a child friendly design and simplicity
focuses on the donations process. The Tooth Fairy character guides visitors to watch
a short video, and then rewards them with a personalised ‘Thank You’ certificate
that they can print out and keep.

The campaign also encourages conversations between parents and children, about the
issues surrounding the illegal ivory trade the need for the work that Care for the
Wild does.

Mansbridge commented: “We can see from the sharp increase in websites and mobile
apps dedicated to children, it is a demographic that is becoming increasingly comfortable
using online devices and navigating online experiences. So by using this platform,
building the campaign around a much loved character and focusing on such a simple
act of kindness, hopefully we can not only raise funds, but educate children of 
the issues an earlier age, and inspire the next generation of supporters to safeguard
our sustained efforts."

The charity was established in 1984 and claims to have been the first to introduce
the ‘adopt an animal’ fundraising concept to the UK.

 * **[Cat in a poppy appeal collecting box](https://fundraising.co.uk/2013/10/11/cat-poppy-appeal-collecting-box/)**(
   11 October 2013)
 * **[David and Goliath](https://fundraising.co.uk/2013/10/21/david-and-goliath/)**(
   21 October 2013)
 * **[People prefer to be asked to donate in ways that avoid talking to a fundraiser](https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/03/25/people-prefer-asked-donate-ways-avoid-talking-fundraiser/)**(
   25 March 2014)