Toys R Us will sail into the sunset for good on June 29th. For all of us Toys R Us kids, it’s the end of an era. Toys r Us was our place, and now it’s gone. That includes the lovable mascot, Geoffrey the Giraffe. Geoffrey has been the mascot for Toys R Us since 1969, and was Dr. G Raffe before that. Over the years, he’s had several different makeovers, and has been pretty much the same since 2007. Toys R Us even funded the live webcam broadcast for April the Giraffe to help raise giraffe awareness and conservation.
Shots on Twitter show Geoffrey packed and heading out of the store for the last time. This could be the last time we see Geoffrey The Giraffe, ever. Or could it? Someone wants to “adopt” Geoffrey, and not only help him, but wild giraffes all over the world.
Enter the San Antonio Zoo. The zoo is one of the largest in Texas, and quickly becoming one of the best zoos in the world, thanks to innovative ideas to help animals, and bring public awareness to the wildlife around them. They want to adopt Geoffrey, and in turn, help raise awareness about Giraffes, and money for conservation.
Essentially, the San Antonio Zoo wants the rights to Geoffrey, and to make him the mascot for not only the zoo but also for giraffe conservation. There are fewer than 100,000 giraffes left in the wild.
“We think Geoffrey can live on through inspiring generations of zoo-goers to care for giraffes and learn about the challenges they are facing in the wild,” said Tim Morrow, CEO and Executive Director of San Antonio Zoological Society. “Our team is passionate about securing a future for wildlife and would like to secure a future for Geoffrey so that he can be a symbol for giraffe conservation.”
The zoo isn’t just asking for a handout from Toys R Us, they are truly looking to help save giraffes. Not only do they want to save Geoffrey, but they also are raising $100,000 dollars for the conservation and protection of giraffes in the wild. They’ve set up a Go Fund Me page to help (click here), and to get Toys R Us to join the effort to save giraffes by donating the use of their most recognizable intellectual property.
“This is a chance for Geoffrey and the great people at Toys“R”Us to leave a legacy gift that has the potential to change the world and bring smiles to children for generations to come,” said Morrow.
We urge you to #SaveGeoffrey and donate to help the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to supporting a sustainable future where all giraffe populations and sub-species are protected and secured in the wild.
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