After they left, they didn’t just leave behind their stuff and memories. They also left their dogs, cats, horses, and donkeys, who now wander the ruined area and are mostly forgotten.
Quiet observer of the destruction caused by war
Almost ten months ago, before the war, a dog shelter was built in Zeitoun, north Gaza. It was run by Gaza’s only animal charity, Sulala Animal Rescue. The shelter was the size of a basketball court and had indoor and outdoor play areas and kennels for about 400 stray dogs.
The shelter was once a safe place for rescued animals, with a cooling pool to help them escape the hot Middle Eastern sun. Now, it is empty and a reminder of the war, with the fate of the animals unknown.
When Israel’s government warned of bomb threats and evacuation orders, the shelter’s owner, Saeed Al Err, and many volunteers had to flee, leaving many dogs to return to the streets.
A place of safety is gone.
Annelies Keuleers, a volunteer for Sulala in Gaza, told Al Arabiya English that it was very hard to decide to leave.
“When the ground invasion started, we had to leave the shelter and let the dogs run free. We left 20 bags of 30kg of food with small holes so the dogs would eat it slowly, but that was all we could do,” she said. “We had an employee near the dog shelter. When the Israelis ordered everyone in the north of Gaza to evacuate to the south, he decided to stay because most bombings were in the city, and the shelter was outside the city. He thought it would be safe for a while.”
“When the invasion began, he and his children had to shelter in a school, so we had to leave the dogs behind. We know the dogs are roaming Gaza now, but we can’t reach the shelter and don’t know what happened to it,” she added.
Keuleers said three more cat shelters in Al Zahra and Nuserirat, each housing about 40 stray cats, were either destroyed by bombing or abandoned after evacuation orders.
Thousands, if not tens of thousands, of pets and stray animals have been left behind in the conflict, according to Keuleers. She said, like much of Gaza’s population, surviving animals are suffering from a lack of food and basic supplies due to blockades. The risk of disease is also very high among lost pets and stray animals.
Effects of moving animals on their well-being
Keuleers said it is very hard to know how many pets are missing or separated from their owners since the conflict started because so many people have left their homes.
“It’s impossible to give an accurate number because 85 percent of Gaza’s population is displaced—that’s about 1.9 million people,” she said.
Some Palestinian families were able to take their cats with them to their new shelters and tents, but these cats are now facing new problems.
“Since these cats don’t have their usual food and are eating bread instead, many of them have gotten sick,” she said. “Dogs are not taken to shelters because they are usually not allowed inside houses in Gaza, so they can’t stay with displaced people in schools,” Keuleers explained.
“Some people have found places to keep their dogs, but often these dogs have to be tied up all day so they don’t run away. But we can’t give an accurate number because there is no official count. Communication in Gaza is often cut off, and Sulala can’t reach most of Gaza due to movement restrictions.”
Challenges faced by people who own or rescue pets.
Pet owners who escaped Gaza with their animals are still facing many problems.
“It’s very hard to get food for the animals because pet food is not coming into Gaza. Only a few types of canned food are available. So, many people are feeding their pets canned meat for humans, mixed with rice or bread. And all food is very expensive,” said Keuleers.
“Also, living in tents at refugee camps makes it hard to take care of pets without a house with walls and a garden. Many owners lose their pets. In these chaotic times, even many children get lost. So, imagine how it is with pets?” she added.
There is also a lack of veterinary care, and people can’t move around freely in Gaza, making things worse.
“Veterinarians are busy trying to survive and most are not working as usual. So, veterinary care is limited, and most people don’t know where to find it. Often, they can’t afford it as they’re spending their savings on urgent needs like food and shelter.”
“People can’t move around Gaza as before; many roads are too dangerous, and others are blocked by rubble. It’s hard for people to meet their basic needs, and it’s the same for their pets.”
In addition to the pets and animals that have gone missing or are wandering the streets, many have also been killed by bombs, starvation, or disease due to the ongoing conflict.
Keuleers said, ‘We don’t have an official count, but it’s in the tens of thousands. This includes working animals like horses and donkeys that are getting sick and dying from overwork.
Animal volunteers continue to fight on
Despite the growing difficulties, Sulala keeps working to help displaced animals.
They received a food shipment and set up a veterinary point in Rafah to give free treatment to these animals.
“We’re visiting refugee camps with our vet to care for the animals and taking in those that their owners can no longer care for,” said Keuleers. “We get calls about injured stray animals and try to pick them up if we can get to them.”
However, their resources are running out quickly.
“We got a food shipment in late April, so we could give pet food to owners for a while. But now we don’t have enough to continue. We’re getting many calls about animals needing care and are doing our best,” she added.
In the northern Gaza Strip, which has been heavily damaged and is hard to reach, Sulala has had to change their approach.
“We can’t get to the north, but it used to be the main area for animal food in Gaza. Some food was left behind during the evacuation, and some people stayed or came back. We have a volunteer there who buys and distributes pet food with the money we send him,” explained Keuleers. “Most people can’t afford the high prices, so we try to help this way.”
At the start of the war, Sulala hoped for a ceasefire and had a plan to evacuate stray dogs.
“They had a team and a plan for rescuing wounded animals in the north, including which cars to use and who would take which route. But that hope has faded, and we haven’t been able to access the north for nine months. If we want to, we would need a permit from the Israelis and possibly help from the Red Cross,” she said.
“In December, we asked our followers to email COGAT, the Israeli coordination office, requesting a permit to bring in animal food and rescue animals in high-risk areas, but we never got a reply,” Keuleers said.
Every day is urgent for the animals in Gaza. There’s a critical need for a ceasefire and unrestricted access to food and veterinary supplies.
Be careful of people who take advantage of war.
As the conflict goes on, animals face the same problems as people: hunger, disease, and the fear of attacks. Keuleers said: “Animals in Gaza urgently need food—dry food, canned food, bird food, and feed for horses and donkeys. We also urgently need veterinary supplies.”
“Animals also need a break from the fighting because they are very stressed by the constant sounds of bombs and drones, just like their human owners.”
Keuleers mentioned that the war has led to people taking advantage of the situation. Some people are pretending to be animal rescuers on social media, but they aren’t real. “Sulala is the only group that had shelters before the war. Others are falsely claiming they’ve always been rescuing animals and asking for donations.”
Despite the destruction, there are some hopeful stories. Keuleers shared: “Eight dogs found Saeed just by following his scent or by chance. That’s incredible. Saeed also found a dog that belonged to a friend who had to leave the north of Gaza. The dog was lost, but Saeed recognized it and returned it to its owner.”
Bringing back lost pets
Right now, Sulala volunteers are very busy with treating animals and dealing with urgent needs. However, they hope to start reuniting lost pets with their owners in the future.
“We’ve had people from Gaza ask us to share pictures of their lost pets on social media and include their phone numbers, hoping someone will contact them if they find the pets,” she said. “But we don’t know if this has worked yet.”
“After the war, we want to start a program to help get pets back to their owners. I think social media and the internet will be very helpful for this,” Keuleers said.
We still need people around the world to pay attention.
As the conflict goes on, there seems to be no end to the suffering of animals in Gaza. The World Federation of Animals points out that war affects animals too. They can be killed, hurt, or left behind. When food is extremely scarce, some animals are put down because their owners can’t feed them, or sometimes they are even eaten by their owners or others in the community.
Keuleers stressed the need for continued international attention: “Please keep talking about Gaza and don’t forget about the animals. They are living beings who feel fear and pain. Remind people and your governments that animals are also suffering. Keep raising awareness and urge your governments to push for a ceasefire.”
Published: 31th July 2024
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