Beirut for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (BETA), a registered charity actively working on animal welfare issues in Lebanon, has issued an emergency appeal for funds to help the animal victims of the current crisis in the Middle East.

Since its inception, BETA has been at the forefront of the battle to ensure animals are respected and cared for in Lebanon. Now a registered NGO, BETA has rescued over 500 stray and abused cats and dogs, founded Lebanon's first cat and dog shelters while spaying/neutering almost half of its rescued animals. A pioneer in its field, BETA has also found homes for many of its rescued animals, with three separate shelters caring for more than 130 dogs and 100 cats.

Sadly the country is presently under attack and in the last two days the only international airport has been completely destroyed, foreign warships are now stationed in its sea ports, and the main roads to Syria are now in ruins. With Lebanon effectively cut off from the rest of the world, it is nearly impossible to enter or leave the country and trade has come to a halt.

The necessary goods to care for the animals are becoming more difficult to find, and what is available is now becoming more expensive due to their scarcity. With the country shut down, all of BETA’s in-country fundraising projects have been forced to stop.

Many of the organisation’s workers are quite literally risking their lives to visit each shelter and care for the animals early in the morning and again before nightfall. The dog shelter is located on the border of Dahye (a block street from Dahye), a suburb where many of the attacks are taking place. The shelter is in sustained danger and many of the dogs are visibly suffering due to the ongoing noise and near destruction. Trips to the cat shelters take workers through a large part of Beirut and the attacks and destruction continue making this more difficult and dangerous.

BETA is desperately asking for help to protect the animals in its care at this most dangerous time: anyone who wishes to make a donation is asked to please contact maggy_sha@yahoo.com, joelle_k@idm.net.lb, animals@beirut.com, or view the website http://beta.beirut.com