A safe haven for animals in Yemen [Archives:2006/986/Front Page]
Nadia Al-Sakkaf
SANA'A, Sept. 28 ) “I love animals and I thought such a project shouldn't be difficult,” explains 17-year-old Yasmine Ashurai, initiator of the Animal Shelter and Awareness Program, speaking during a small meeting attended by the Dutch embassy's Olyhoeck Olyhoeck and Laurens Jacobs, WSPA's Trevor Wheeler and Alistair Findlay and Dr. Ghaleb Al-Iryani, Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture's Livestock and Animal Resources.
Two years ago, Ashurai approached numerous places and organizations in a quest to find support for her project. She wrote a 10-page proposal detailing the creation of the Animal Shelter and Awareness Program – or Safe haven A.S.A.P., as she calls it. The only positive feedback was from the British and Dutch embassies.
The British Embassy said it would fund approximately 13 percent of the total cost, provided the rest was managed, while the Dutch Embassy offered technical and personal support. Among others at the Dutch embassy, Olyhoeck and Jacobs took a personal interest in the ASAP program before the embassy officially approved it. “It's the common love of animals that brought us all together in this project,” Olyhoeck says.
However, it took two years to start moving due to lack of adequate funding and support. Jacobs explains that the ASAP program wasn't seen as a high priority in the beginning. Also, its usefulness to Yemenis and development wasn't realized at that time. “We had many debates about this project. In a country like Yemen where there's so much to be done for the people, a project to care for animals seems less important,” he says.
Olyhoeck adds that she was into the ASAP project because she felt awareness was a key factor in it. “People sometimes view pets raised at home differently than street animals, like they're different species and deserve different treatment. We should learn to be kind to animals because they're part of our world and play an important role in keeping our nature in balance,” she urges.
Undeterred, Ashurai next contacted the UK-based WSPA. “Yasmine approached us and it was a great opportunity for us because there were only two Middle Eastern countries where we weren't present – Saudi Arabia and Yemen. We were preparing for a trip somewhere else but when the Dutch embassy invited us for this visit, we jumped at the chance, left everything else we were working on and came!” Wheeler enthusiastically recounts.
The WSPA works through a worldwide network of nearly 700 member societies, 13 of which currently are in the Middle East region with a number of successful programs. The organization now hopes to be able to work with Yemen's central government, as well as local municipal authorities to identify animal welfare needs and then provide necessary training and direction to implement and manage associated programs.
Ashurai is surprised by public acceptance of her initiative, whose purpose she describes as: “The idea is to provide a shelter where dogs and cats can receive care and medical treatment and save them from wandering the streets. Some hotels have even offered to give me the cats and dogs on their premises.”
And why wouldn't they? Especially given that stray dogs and street cats are a constant problem for places like restaurants and hotels, where food is generated and dumped out. Stray dogs often form packs and start visiting such places, marking their territory.
“It's actually the municipality's job to take care of stray animals, especially given that there are approximately 150 contagious diseases transmitted between human beings and animals. Rabies has spread very seriously in many governorates like Taiz and Hodeidah and I'm sure the picture is even scarier in Sana'a and Amran,” says Dr. Ghaleb Al-Iryani, a veterinarian and member of the Yemeni Veterinarian Association.
According to Al-Iryani, there are only 200 veterinarians in the entire country. “Such a project is important, not just from a health point of view but also from a humanitarian point of view. Through such a program, we can help citizens improve their society and environment – and animals are an integral part of the environment.”
Quoting famed Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov, Al-Iryani adds: “Medicine is for treating people and veterinary is for treating humanity.”
Indeed, there's much to be done. In this regard, the Dutch embassy arranged for Wheeler and Findlay to visit Al-Mokha and Taiz during their three-day stay in Yemen. “We went to see cattle when quarantined and the circumstances surrounding long-distance livestock transport.” Wheeler explains. While in Taiz, the pair visited the Yemeni-Swedish Hospital, which handles many rabies cases.
In Sana'a, they visited the city's main slaughterhouse and the UNDP de-mining program, which uses trained dogs to explore mines, as well as spent time at the city zoo.
Dr. Amin Saif Obaid, health supervisor at Sana'a Zoo Park, and who has a masters degree in Animal Surgery met the team during their visit to the zoo. “I have been working here for two years so far, and I can say health of the animals generally is ok. But we face problems regarding space and feeding. Animals are kept in small cages with very less room to move about and meat eater animals are constantly feed cheap donkey meat. Not only does this affect the nutritious value of the food but it also endangers donkeys and might cause them to become instinct especially that Taiz zoo does the same.” Dr. Obaid commented.
The zoo also requires more attention in terms of plantation and greenery. Dr. Obaid was happy with the attention the zoo received from the Dutch embassy and the WSPA team. “They promised to send us wildlife magazines, vaccinations and tools used in handling animals. They said they would come back again.” He said.
Working in 140 countries worldwide, the WSPA coordinates in each country with local organizations and institutions, which they call member societies. “In countries where citizens rely on animals, we encounter no resistance to our work because they understand the importance of animals. Yemen is one of those places,” Wheeler notes.
Indicating that the WSPA team was happy with its welcome from Yemenis, Wheeler adds, “Wherever we went, people talked to us openly. They were eager to share information and their concerns with us. I might add that the slaughterhouse we visited in Sana'a is very good, This is the best one we have seen in the Middle East-region. We are contemplating to arrange visits for other countries as the Sana'a slaughterhouse is exemplarily to others.
The biggest problem the ASAP program now faces regards land. Ashurai explains that Al-Forosia Horse Club offered the project a piece of land upon which to establish itself, but unfortunately, it was unsuitable. Thus, the search continues for individuals, groups and/or charities to fund ASAP.
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