Aleppo Cat Sanctuary Bombed
PetFinder.my 
Nov 17, 2016 
NGOs, PetFinder.my 
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World-Famous Cat Sanctuary in Aleppo Bombed
Renewed airstrikes in Aleppo, Syria this week have killed at least 32 people. The attacks, which struck a children’s hospital and a blood bank, were carried out by either Syrian or Russian warplanes, Reuters reported, citing the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The bombings also hit an internationally-celebrated animal sanctuary that was hailed as a place of peace and hope in the war-torn city.
The sanctuary was a refuge for hundreds of cats, as well as local children who would spend time with the animals and play on an adjacent playground.
Mohammad Alaa Aljaleel, the man who runs the sanctuary and cares for the cats, is alive, said Alessandra Abidin, an Italian woman who helps Aljaleel run a Facebook group to communicate with his supporters.
Aljaleel, an electrician and ambulance driver, has stayed behind in Aleppo to care for the city’s many stray cats, some of which had been left behind when their owners fled the region. He told the BBC in a September interview that he would stay and protect the animals, “no matter what.”
On Wednesday, Abidin announced on social media that bombs had hit the sanctuary and killed multiple cats and a dog. The dog, named Hope, was known as the sanctuary’s mascot.
The strike also hit Aljaleel’s house, killing two cats, including a tabby that had been entrusted to him by a young girl when her family fled to Turkey.
It’s unclear what the future of the sanctuary will be, though photos taken since the bombing show some cats alive and apparently uninjured on the premises.
The Facebook group, Il Gattaro D’Aleppo ? meaning “the cat man of Aleppo” in Italian ? allows Aljaleel to post daily photos of the cats and aids supporters in making donations. Those funds allowed him to build the cats a proper shelter, construct a playground for local children, and purchase food for the cats as well as local people in need. He has emphasized the connection between compassion for humans and animals.
“There is a firm bond between humanitarianism and caring for animals,” he told Syria Direct.
The airstrikes on rebel-held eastern Aleppo were part of a major military escalation by the Syrian government and its allies after a three-week pause.
For the cat sanctuary’s latest updates, visit:
https://www.facebook.com/mohammadalaaaljaleel/
The photos here showcase the sanctuary before the bombing, as well as courageous rescue efforts by Aljaleel.
No words suffice to describe the atrocities of war, and the horrendous suffering of humans and animals there.
May the innocent lives lost rest in peace, and that the war would soon be over.
Source: http://huff.to/2f1wmGd
Source: https://www.facebook.com/PetFinder.my/photos/a.1257823144263..
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