Brave Group Stays to Care For Animals Left Behind In Lebanon Due To Israeli Invasion and Bombing

Thankfully one group is courageous enough to stay behind while others flee the invasion. Yet, only those taken to the shelter or lucky to be picked up were saved. Many more are still living in the bombing zone (which I suppose is almost the whole country). Unfortunately, they’ve only taken in under 100. So, there are still thousands roaming the streets.

As stated in the article below:

“She said volunteers were going into northern towns and cities to feed abandoned animals. There "are thousands of dogs and cats roaming the streets without anyone to care for them," More said.”

“The dogs were moved by volunteers from a shelter in Beirut's southern suburbs to an abandoned pig farm east of the capital -- and might be considered lucky compared to pets left to fend for themselves by foreign and Lebanese owners fleeing the Israeli bombardment.”


Article:

Fleeing owners strand animals

Groups in Israel and Lebanon strive to help thousands of dogs, cats abandoned in attacks.

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/
20060726/NATION/607260358/1020

Donna Abu-Nasr / Associated Press

Beirut for the Ethical Treatment of Animals co-founder Joelle el-Massih feeds dogs at a farm east of the city. The group has taken in 133 dogs.

MONTEVERDE, Lebanon -- The howls of 133 canine refugees echoed Tuesday through the pine-and-oak-covered hills above the Lebanese capital -- crowded into cages but safely away from airstrikes against Hezbollah strongholds in the south.

The dogs were moved by volunteers from a shelter in Beirut's southern suburbs to an abandoned pig farm east of the capital -- and might be considered lucky compared to pets left to fend for themselves by foreign and Lebanese owners fleeing the Israeli bombardment.

The group spearheading efforts to save the animals is BETA, Lebanon's first animal welfare and rescue organization, established two years ago.

On Saturday, BETA -- which stands for Beirut for the Ethical Treatment of Animals -- made an appeal for donations on its Web site "to get the animals through this period."

In Israel, volunteers were also trying to save animals abandoned by owners fleeing their homes in the north to escape Hezbollah rocket attacks.

"We took in about 200 animals, mainly dogs and cats," said Tamara More, general manager of the rescue organization Ahava.

She said volunteers were going into northern towns and cities to feed abandoned animals. There "are thousands of dogs and cats roaming the streets without anyone to care for them," More said.

Animal rights activists have received scores of calls from Lebanese and foreigners asking what to do with their pets when they evacuate. They are referred to commercial kennels.

Hani Rayess said he has taken in about 45 dogs. He charges their owners $100 a month.

"Some owners asked me to meet them as they headed to their ships," he said. "A couple of Westerners told me they would not leave Lebanon because they had nowhere to place their pets."