The Not-Mentioned Victims of Gush Katif Pull Out

From: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArtDisengagement.jhtml
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No, this is not a political statement either for or against the pull out (so don't email me at all about the political issue). This is about some of the non-mentioned victims.

Animal rights groups push to save Gush Katif's cats and dogs

By Eli Ashkenazi
Animal welfare advocates met with government officials on Thursday to push for implementing their plan for saving animals abandoned in Gush Katif.

The Noah organization, an umbrella association representing various animal rights groups, says that hundreds of abandoned cats and dogs might starve to death once their sources of water, food and shelter are gone following the evacuation of Gush Katif settlements.

At the meeting with representatives of the Prime Minister's Office, the Agriculture Ministry and the Environment Ministry, Noah advocates demanded the government foot the bill for the plan since it is responsible for all facets of the disengagement.


According to Noah, the PMO representative adopted its plan and even said she would work to get funding for it.

"There are hundreds of cats and several dozen dogs that need to be evacuated or else they will remain without water, food and a place to live," Noah chair Shelly Gluzman said. "The animal welfare organizations have taken upon themselves the task of rescuing these cats and dogs, but it requires financial and physical assistance.

"We have applied to international bodies for help, but so far only about a quarter of the necessary budget has been raised. Our activists are already in the field and are ready for action, but if the funds are not found, we will not be able to collect the animals."

Meanwhile, the animal welfare groups have issued a general appeal to whoever is willing to help in any way possible.