Memorial Fundraising Art Sale for Dr. JOHN LEWIS

In the midst of life we are in death.

Brilliant wildlife vet, John Lewis, died suddenly in November 2020 

Penny Wheatley – December 2020

Touched with a spark of genius, this creative and inspirational vet treated and saved the lives of so many precious wild animals in so many different parts of the world. His untimely loss, in the midst of a shining career which promised many more years of invaluable work, is both shocking and wasteful. Everyone, from the various countries in which he worked, was inspired by him and he enriched and illuminated their lives with his teachings, and fired their imaginations with his resourcefulness and ingenuity, enabling them to carry out his ideas and work after he had left them. 

John’s work was of such enormous importance that I have done my best to help towards enabling it to be carried forward in his name and through his example. I have created this painting of an Amur tiger especially for this great man, and its subject, the Tiger, the Big Cat he almost made his own with his study and research into it. I offer this Memorial, in reverence, gratefulness and awe. I should add that it is impossible not to include the word LOVE, for this amazing and valuable human being, who did so much good in the wildlife world.

John’s Tiger - Memorial Painting for Dr John Lewis. 

Framed Watercolour  Height 22” x width 28”, by Penny Wheatley.

For those who might not be able to rise to our hoped-for generous price for the actual painting, signed prints, in a limited edition, will also be available. Wildlife Vets International must continue to thrive!

Wildlife Vets International

Dr. John Lewis and fellow wildlife vet, Andrew Greenwood, set up Wildlife Vets International because they believed passionately in the need to make world class veterinary skills and science available to those working on the frontline of wildlife conservation. John was always enormously generous in sharing his own skills and knowledge, and deeply appreciative of what he learnt from others in return. But John wanted to go beyond that to make sure that such expertise could be shared in a wider and more sustainable way. He wanted to give those working every day to save endangered species the veterinary skills that could make all the difference to the success of a project.

While John cared deeply about all species, he simply adored tigers. His dedication, not just to the animals but also to the people working to save them from extinction, culminated in a unique website that pulls together all his knowledge of tiger medicine with that of other experts. Access is free to all those who need it wherever they are working. John often described the website, which he named The Wild Tiger Health Centre, as his most exciting work and biggest contribution to veterinary science and tiger conservation.

 John knew only too well that saving species from extinction is a complicated puzzle. There is never a quick fix, and the challenges we all face are immense. Poaching, habitat loss and climate change are just some of the huge problems than can be made worse by unexpected outbreaks of disease which can decimate already threatened populations. Wildlife veterinary expertise is vital to control disease and successfully rehabilitate rare animals that are sick or injured.

While we all miss John’s wisdom, humour and direction, WVI remains dedicated to passing on and sharing veterinary knowledge in order to support those conserving endangered species. We are so grateful to Penny for this powerful and moving tribute to John. With your help we look forward to continuing his legacy into the future and solving the conservation puzzle.

For expressions of interest, please contact O.Walter@wildlifevets.org

Olivia Walter | Executive Director

M: +44 7508 801 099

E: info@wildlifevetsinternational.org  
W: www.wildlifevetsinternational.org

Wildlife Vets International
Station House, Parkwood Street, Keighley, West Yorkshire, BD21 4NQ

 A little fantasy of the artist.

Olivia Walter told me that the Tiger, that John is treating in the photograph of him, taken in 2011, was the biggest Tiger he had ever anaesthetised.  It was a huge male Amur Tiger. I Like to believe that this very Tiger, once treated, was once more plunging through the Snow, in his glorious freedom and magnificence. And he is the very Tiger, who dedicates himself to John in John’s painting!

Prints - An edition of 125 signed prints - the same dimensions as the original painting - h. 22” x w. 30” - £165.00, which will be sent out in a cardboard roll on receipt of payment.  (A smaller print can be obtained by request -  h.16” x w.22” - £145.00 )

The entire profit from every beautiful high quality hand printed image will go directly to Wildlife Vets International!  (WVI) and will be used to carry on the invaluable work with Tigers that John had planned for the immediate future.