Egypt: SPARE calls for urgent help for dogs

May 14, 2007 : 12:00 AM

Street dogs are being killed

By Sharon St. Joan, Best Friends Network

(warning: disturbing story)

Street dogs in Giza, an area of Cairo, are being shot by city agents in broad daylight, then left dead on the streets.

This news is being reported to Best Friends and to animal groups in many countries by Amina Abaz, the President of SPARE, in Cairo, and by Mona Khalil, Secretary General of SPARE, the Society for the Protection of Animals in Egypt.

These friends of Best Friends have kept us informed over the past few years of animal news taking place in Egypt, and especially, the periodic killing of street dogs by the municipality. In the past, the dogs have been poisoned with strychnine. In the past few days they have been being shot.

The first news, about this most recent killing spree, came from Mona Khalil on Friday, May 11, 2007, who wrote:

"Today at 3 PM a group of Canadians saw this [dogs being shot] in the street. They called us. No matter how many times such scenes and massacres happen, I still cannot get to understand why, why, why, who could see this and not stop it? What did they feel killing those Innocent souls?

"I do not know what it will take to help us take a real stand towards this insanity. This is just the start. The last call of the Minister of Health gave more legitimacy to the killing of strays on the street. The veterinary authority is also behind it. When we called the Police Department responsible for this area, we were informed the orders came from the veterinary authorities. Now it is the veterinary authorities plus the police, plus the Ministry of Health."

Mona

Amina Abaz also wrote on Friday:

"My friends, so sorry for the awful pictures [the pictures, not shown, are of several dead dogs, who were shot in the street - Ed.], but this is the truth, this happened yesterday at 1:15 pm, in the pyramids road. Look at the people, the kids, and look at their expression, indifference...this is what they are used to…The Egyptian police doesn't stop the massacre of the stray dogs…

"I have sent to all of you the addresses of all our ministries. Please write them… We need your help. We are fighting, but we need support."

Amina Abaza
SPARE President

(Please find the list of ministers below.)

(The pyramids road that Amina refers to is the road leading to the pyramids, which are not far away.)

SPARE, which has an active trap/neuter/return program for Cairo street dogs, has repeatedly called for the city to stop the killing of street dogs and to provide funding to expand the TNR program, which is an effective, humane solution for animal control.

Around two years ago, SPARE made an urgent plea for letters to the authorities, asking that the poisoning of dogs be stopped. Best Friends members and other animal people around the world
responded with so many emails that Cairo officials asked SPARE to
please call for a halt to the emails, and they agreed to stop the poisoning of dogs.

However, this resolution did not hold, and from time to time since then, the dog killings have resumed.

Most recent news:

On Sunday evening, we heard from Mona again, with more bad news:

"Andrea went down to feed the dogs as usual, as the past ten months
since she has been in Cairo. She found two of them dead beside each other. The other two were not in sight. On my way to her home after she called me, in hysteria, not believing this happened, I spotted the two. I went down and got one of them. I had the strength and the determination to get her, and I just carried her from the street.

"Unfortunately, the other big one ran away. We tried to spot him again. An hour later he showed up; it seems he was trying to look for his friends. He found them dead. He smelled them and stood there.

"Andrea tried to call him, but he just left immediately on the opposite way, and god knows where he will be or what will happen. We will try to locate him, but I do not know what will happen.

"Then, another couple of foreigners passed by us and said this is the third time this week they see such a scene. Dogs shot on the corners of streets.

"They killed the kindest two of them. The one I caught is also very kind, but rather newer than the other ones. They were killed in the morning according to porters in the area.

"For those of you who do not know who is Andrea, she is the famous
American/German woman who adopted our big boy Lord, and wrote Lord tales when she adopted him. She is also dog trainer and has been helping us for a while now. She also did our SPARE leaflet and was working on another for the massacre that happened at Haram area two days ago, while this was happening to her dogs.

"It is even astonishing, as it is known that no shooting is allowed in residential areas where foreigners, especially Americans, are living. The madness is going on and will not stop, since once again we called the municipality and complained trying to know whose orders was it this time, and the reply came that we should not bother calling; they will continue to shoot and consider it their mission."

Mona Khalil

Then, Sunday evening, we received the most recent email, sent by Amina, which said:

"...Another massacre happened tonight, Mona is absolutely desperate; they killed some of the dogs she was feeding in a street near her house.

"It is hard to live in our country ...

"Love you all"

Amina

What you can do

Below please find the email addresses of four of the government ministers of Egypt.

If you wish to write, brief, simple letters are best, asking the Egyptian government to stop killing the street dogs, and instead, fund a spay/neuter program. Only a humane trap/neuter/return program will, in the long term, reduce the population of street dogs.

When writing, it is important for all of us to keep in mind that, in all countries, there is both cruelty and kindness to animals. Only polite, courteous letters will be of any help to the animals. Thank you.

Cabinet Ministers:

Prime Minister
Dr. Ahmed Mahmoud Mohammed Nazif
E-mail primemin@idsc.gov.eg

Ministry of Agriculture
Minister
Mr. Amin Abaza
drfadia@hotmail.com

Ministry of Health and Population
Minister
Dr. Hatem Mostafa Mostafa El-Gabaly
E-mail moh@idsc.gov.eg

Ministry of Interior Affairs
Minister
General Habib Ibrahim Habib El Adly
E-mail center@iscmi.gov.eg

The website for SPARE (Society for the Protection of Animals in
Egypt) is:

http://www.sparealife.org

Photo: SPARE / one of the streets where dogs were shot

Comments

May 23, 2007 at 11:22 AM
posted by: PamelaB

An OIPA Action Alert has just been posted.

http://www.oipa.org/abandonment/alerts/egypt.htm

May 22, 2007 at 4:58 PM
posted by: PamelaB

This comment is posted on behalf of Slavica Beslic of FRIEND-EPAR in Serbia:

Stop Killing Dogs and Cats in Egypt

"Dear sirs,
According to a reported translation of an article in the Egyptian newspaper Al-Akhbar, the country's Veterinary Authority in Giza established a 'committee' to eliminate thousands of stray dogs and cats in that city. The committee is reportedly planning to send 10 teams daily into the city's streets with a reported 10 kilograms of strychnine to kill dogs and an undisclosed amount of Temic (a dangerous insecticide) to kill cats.I urge you to intervene to stop this cruel plan and resolve the situation in a humane manner by implementing the following policies: animals must not be poisoned, all reports of such activity must be investigated as possible criminal offences; animals removed from the streets must be kept in adequate, clean conditions; healthy animals must be sterilized and vaccinated prior to adoption or release to their legal guardians.
In Serbia ,too, laws must be implement, and killers must be punish.
All what you do now, it is CRIME to the sensitive beings, and every of crimes at the end will be punish.

Sincerely,

Slavica Mazak Beslic
Friend-epar/oipa/alliance for animal rights
Subotica
Serbia"

May 20, 2007 at 6:36 PM
posted by: marla

Pamela B

Thanks for all the links The quick form to Egyption Tourist was super easy to fill and makes it personal.

May 18, 2007 at 7:47 PM
posted by: sharonstjoan

Michelle, thank you for the beautiful story about dogs!

May 18, 2007 at 6:31 PM
posted by: Spax

I just signed all petitions and send a personal email to the Ministries in Egypt and the Tourism Office. It's the least I can do.
How can a country go from worshipping animals as Gods to killing them in such a brutal way...
It gives me hope, though, to see animal organizations like SPARE pop up in the Middle East. Even if we can't help them there, we can speak with the mighty tourist dollar.
Michelle, thanks for contributing such a beautiful and moving story about dogs.

May 18, 2007 at 5:20 PM
posted by: michelle

If all the world only knew of the absolute unconditional, miraculous love that comes from dogs...I know it is long but it comes to mind.

It is from a speech made in 1870, when the man's dog, a foxhound named Drum was shot. His owner sued the man who shot Drum. There was no evidence even, but after he finished his speech, the jury was in tears. They fined the man $500, even though the maximum fine was $150.

It is reported that George Vest was a 19th century lawyer defending client.

Gentlemen of the jury, the best friend a man has in this world may turn against him and become his enemy. His son and daughter that he has reared with loving care may become ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest to us, those whom we trust with our happiness and our good name, may become traitors to their faith. The money that a man has he may lose. It flies away from him when he may need it most. Man's reputation may be sacrificed in a moment of ill considered action. The people who are prone to fall on their knees and do us honor when success is with us may be the first to throw the stone of malice when failure settles its cloud upon our head.

The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his DOG. A man's dog stands by him in prosperity and in poverty, in health and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground,where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only he may be near his master's side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer, he will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounter with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When all other friends desert, he remains. When riches take wing and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens. If fortune drives the master forth an outcast into the cold, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him to guard him against danger, and to fight against his enemies. When the last scene of all comes, and death takes his master in its embrace and his body is laid away in the cold ground, no matter if all other friends pursue their way, there by his graveside will the noble dog be found, his head between his paws and his eyes sad, but open in alert watchfulness, faithful and true even to death.

-Senator George Vest, 1870.

May 18, 2007 at 4:14 PM
posted by: kendra

"I do not know what it will take to help us take a real stand towards this insanity. This is just the start. The last call of the Minister of Health gave more legitimacy to the killing of strays on the street. The veterinary authority is also behind it. When we called the Police Department responsible for this area, we were informed the orders came from the veterinary authorities. Now it is the veterinary authorities plus the police, plus the Ministry of Health."

---

?? I don't understand why these people would support a solution like that. It's not only cruel and inhumane, but it's also dangerous for the people who live in the area. They'll get exposed to the rotting bodies and spread parasites and diseases. It seems like a really backwards and ignorant solution that will only cause a bigger problem...

May 17, 2007 at 8:29 PM
posted by: PamelaB

What You Can Do Right Now to help Mona, Amina, Andrea and the homeless dogs of Egypt:

Please complete this quick form to the Egyptian Tourist Authority:

http://www.egypt.travel/index.php?nav1=contact

Sign this petition:

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/stop-the-mass-slaughtering-of-street-dogs-in-egypt.html

And this petition:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/stoptheslaughterinegypt/

Abundant thanks for adding your voices to help these dogs and their friends. And thanks to Sandra Husain and Dina Zulfikar for their petitions!

Please see below for ONE EMAIL you can send that will have the power of 10!

May 17, 2007 at 4:22 PM
posted by: Sandrahusain

I certainly do hope this reaches a status that will allow some animal rights laws to finally be put into place. Disallowing any future attempts to fall back onto old methods of practise. Sign all and every petition, let the government know we will not stop until they do!

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/stoptheslaughterinegypt/signatures.html

May 16, 2007 at 2:33 PM
posted by: PamelaB

If you want to send ONE EMAIL to all the government Ministers, here are their addresses:

primemin@idsc.gov.eg, center@iscmi.gov.eg, moh@idsc.gov.eg, drfadia@hotmail.com, Mot@idsc.gov.eg, minexter@idsc1.gov.eg, mculture@idsc.gov.eg, eeaa@idsc.gov.eg, eeaa@eeaa.gov.eg

Here is a sample letter:

Dear Mr. Prime Minister, and Ministers of Agriculture, Health, Foreign Affairs, Tourism, Culture, Environment and Interior Affairs,

Egypt's image on the world stage--and on the internet--is suffering a mighty blow. Tourism is affected as visitors to Cairo continue to be shocked by dead dogs shot in the streets. Gruesome photos circulate the internet.

We write to urge you to stop the brutal slayings of homeless dogs on the streets of Cairo and Alexandria. Many of these dogs are fed and cared for by animal advocates. You are destroying their work and the love of months and years.

Work with SPARE in Cairo http://www.sparealife.org

SPARE and other animal groups in the Cairo area are waiting to help. Only spay and neuter programs (TNR) will reduce the population of street dogs. Killing homeless animals does not reduce the population in the long run. They compensate for the losses with new litters.

Please contact SPARE and together implement a policy for homeless animals that is worthy of your citizens, both human and canine.

Telephone: 02-381-3855 or 012-316-2912 http://www.sparealife.org/

Thank you for reading my letter. I await your reply.

Sincerely,

Your Name

May 15, 2007 at 6:41 AM
posted by: cvfa

CVFA's letter to the officials in Egypt 15th May 2007

What on EARTH IS GOING ON OVER THERE IN YOUR COUNTRY !? I am horrified daily by the photographs and stories that are coming to me here - where are your animal welfare laws ? Where are you humane spay/neuter and release programs which will stop the breeding of unwanted dogs and allow the good people there to continue caring for these wonderful animals that have been bred and dumped by your people there - yes - again animals suffer and die again because of human neglect and error - their being is not their fault ! Where are the education programs - to teach your people about spaying and neutering - laws that will punish those who breed and abandon these animals to the streets ?!

Officially, CornwallsVoice for Animals on behalf of our 3465 supporters world wide urge you to STOP THIS SLAUGHTER of DOGS immediately and move towards the humane and acceptable way of dealing with your street animals. If you need good advise on how to start with humane education programs and the spay/neuter/vaccinate and release programs I can put you in touch with all the right organisations to assist and guide you onto the humane path.

CVFA supports fully, the work of The Society for the Protection of Animals in Egypt (SPARE)

I look forward to your positive reply to my comments and I thank you for taking the time to read them.

Most Sincerely,
Mary Alice Pollard, CVFA/OIPA UK

Cornwalls Voice for Animals/UK
Member: ( OIPA ) International Organisation for Animal Protection. NGO affiliated to the UN Department of Public Information
http://www.cornwallsvoiceforanimals.org/Welcome.html

3 the Square, Gerrans
Portscatho, Truro, Cornwall TR2-5GA UK

May 14, 2007 at 4:36 AM
posted by: dinazu

Yes, it is a shame.. I believe addressing the ministers plus the parliament and following up might work in stopping the massacre.
All animal lovers in the world and welfare organizations are uniting in a petition to address the parliament and ministers. Thanks to SPARE and Best Friends and all animal lovers in the world.
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/stop-the-mass-slaughtering-of-street-dogs-in-egypt.html