.
Animals Lebanon, headquartered in Beirut, works to protect animals through legislation, education, campaigns and rescue. The organization recently helped a woman who fled Syria with nothing but a suitcase and the six cats she became caretaker to as her neighbors left the country ahead of her.
Animals Lebanon at Facebook posted the photo above with this telling of the woman’s story:
Fleeing Syria with only a suitcase and six cats
She has lived in Syria for a combined 10 years, the last two and a half years through the civil war. She does not feel safe sharing her name.
Throughout that time, this kind woman rescued six cats that are now “her life.” For the last months people left her building until she was the only one left, then nearby buildings were emptied, and finally no one living on the entire road. These six cats were her only companions.
Refusing to leave them behind, she called Animals Lebanon needing a place to stay, temporary housing and care for her animals, and help flying them with her to a safe country. She left the Syria with just these six cats and her suitcase.
We were happy to assist, she should not have to suffer more simply because she would not abandon her animals. We helped her make sure she had the correct paperwork and that she and the cats would safely get to their final destination.
Although it is a difficult time for all of us, we managed to shift things around and make space for her cats.
