Photos From The Great Animal Rescue Chase & Harmony Fund's Post
Animal Rescue Chase 
Sep 9, 2015 
Animal Rescue Chase, NGOs 
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PINK CAT’S RESCUE SPARKS BETTER CARE FOR THOUSANDS MORE
What drives a man to drop a beautiful white cat into a tub of pink dye?
Seventeen-year-old Bilal Aslam was among the first to notice just such a cat at the Isa Town Souq market in Bahrain. The pink cat was one of many felines, melting away in the hot afternoon air in cages positioned in the sun. Discount prices weren’t enough to stimulate interest in cats lying motionless, some with their mouths wide open and panting in the broiling heat, so the seller had decided to try turning one of them pink.
“It looked like they had used wall paint,” Bilal told the Gulf Daily News. “There was a pungent smell about it and it looked like it was slowly falling sick. There was no food given to the cats and they had only a little water to survive the heat.”
Bilal posted his photos on the Bahrain SPCA’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/124122110956481/ and asked for help.
Animal advocate Cheryl Nielson felt a burning under her skin the moment she laid eyes on Bilal’s’s photos of several cats up for sale at the souq. The market was on a list of locations that would be targeted by the BSCPA once the newly signed animal welfare law comes into full effect, but when Cheryl saw that one of the photographed cats was wearing a hot pink coat, she’d had enough.
“I was furious,” Cheryl said. “I couldn’t wait anymore. I decided to go get the cat myself by whatever means necessary, even if I had to buy her as a last resort.”
“When I arrived at the souq with my husband, cat carrier in hand and a few supplies, we noticed the BSPCA truck there,” Cheryl said. “To my surprise, our chairman Mahmood Faraj was there too. He had a decree from the king allowing us to confiscate the pink cat, and to inspect all the vendors animals and cages.”
“Needless to say, ‘Pinky’ was happy to be away from the heat, free from a cage and on her way to a vet,” Cheryl said. “My husband and I followed our chairman to the shelter to help deliver the poor cat to our vet there. She had the sniffles, runny eyes, and of course was covered with some sort of dye. They have since tried to wash it off but to no avail.”
Before leaving the market, Cheryl made sure that all of the animals were provided with some basic relief and she began the process of notifying the market that their actions were illegal.
“While I was there, I watered and fed the other animals that needed help,” Cheryl said. “The vendors were told of the new law and how they should comply. In a meeting with our chairman the next day, the manager of the souq was given the guidelines for the animal care to pass on to his vendors. I am happy to report that the land owner has agreed to enclose and air condition the animal area of the souq very soon.”
“Since that day, I have gathered volunteers and supplies to accompany me to the Isa Town souq every weekend to check on the welfare of the animals there,” Cheryl continued. “The vendors are happy to see us and happy for the help. They are taking much better care of their animals (most of them) since our initial visit, and I am somewhat of a liaison now with the vendors and our chairman. I report what I find, and if they need assistance, I let Mahmood know so he can contact the proper person(s).”
Cheryl says that her volunteer welfare team will soon begin branching out to new areas.
“There are other souqs and many pet shops that need our attention,” she said. “As far as the new animal welfare law, this is just the beginning of helping the animals here and having some recourse for those who choose to abuse animals.”
We’d greatly appreciate words of support for the rescuers who are helping these cats and other animals in Bahrain.
Source: https://www.facebook.com/GreatAnimalRescueChase/photos/a.135..
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