Volunteers Brave Danger to Rescue Pets from Bombed-Out Dahieh

Following the intense Israeli bombardment in Lebanon, many residents were forced to flee their homes quickly, leaving behind their pets in the chaos. Maggie Shaarawi, vice president of Animals Lebanon, has stepped in to help these animals. Due to the stressful environment, many cats hide and are left behind as their owners escape the danger.

Shaarawi, along with her team, recently entered a heavily damaged neighborhood in Beirut’s southern suburbs to rescue eight cats for a distressed owner who guided them via video call to the location of her cats in her living room.

The team successfully located and rescued all the cats, narrowly escaping further destruction in the area, which was subsequently hit by another airstrike. This close encounter with danger highlighted the perilous nature of their mission.

The escalation of airstrikes by Israel since September 23 has had devastating effects, killing over 1,000 people and displacing more than a million, according to Lebanese sources. Despite the risks, many residents have managed to bring their pets with them as they evacuate, but others, too attached to leave their animals behind, have chosen to stay despite the dangers.

Shaarawi mentioned that so far, her team has managed to save around 120 animals from the Beirut suburbs and an additional 60 from the south. Despite a dangerous encounter with an airstrike, they continued their rescue efforts the following day.

The rescue missions are tense and urgent, with animals, especially cats, becoming extremely agitated and fearful, resembling tigers in their frightened state. The team uses mopeds to quickly enter and exit the bombarded areas.

Shaarawi described the war as traumatizing for both the animals and their human companions, who are subjected to daily bombings without understanding what is happening around them. They simply wait for their owners’ return.

Unfortunately, not all rescue missions are successful. In one heartbreaking instance, the team discovered one cat deceased and could not locate two others, presumed dead under the rubble of a destroyed house. The ongoing conflict continues to pose severe risks to both human and animal lives in the region.