November was a tumultuous month for our team as Palestinian animal rescuers. When the mayor of Hebron offered residents a 20 shekels bounty per dead dog, we mobilized nonstop with fellow animal rescuers, local and international organizations, other municipalities, and anybody else willing to listen and help. We countered the mayor’s statement by offering 50 shekels to anyone who feeds and cares for stray dogs in Hebron. Our message went viral and we received loads of support from all over Palestine. The amount and quality of responses showed that even though those who support violence against animals are a minority in Palestine, a lot of work still needs to be done.
To continue the momentum from our response, we hosted an Instagram live titled “Answering the Complicated Questions.” We discussed what’s required from Palestinian society to coexist with street dogs, child safety, and much more. We were also invited to discuss our work and philosophies by Watan radio on the Morning Show with Reem Omari.
After the broadcast, we met with Ramallah Municipality regarding their municipality wide spay and neuter project. Since then, we have been working closely together. Our role in the project is to ensure the dogs’ rights and well-being are protected during and after their operations.
