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Al Rabee Society for Nature and Animal Protection (RSNAP) in Aqaba, Jordan
Ah Rabee Society for Nature and Animal Protection is a Jordan-based non-profit organization that was set up in 2013 by Rodica Athamneh. The Al Rabee shelter is the only shelter of its kind in Aqaba and is home to more than 500 dogs. For the past three years, we have supported the Al Rabee shelter with the care of their dogs and daily administration in a very remote area of Jordan where resources and assistance are very limited. Our regular support also helps cover sterilization campaigns, food and vet bills.In 2022, we assisted them with moving their shelter to much larger, better suited premises. We also assisted with the installation of solar panels to help mitigate the shortage of electricity supply.
When tragedy struck in 2023 and much of the new shelter was destroyed by devastating flash floods, Network for Animals once again stepped in by raising emergency funds for the shelter repair.
Network for Animals campaign director, Luke Barritt, greets some of the many dogs waiting to be rehomed at the Al Rabee shelter in Jordan.
Al Rahmeh in Amman, Jordan
Al Rahmeh was established in 2017 by a group of animal lovers who wanted to counter the abuse and demonization of the ancient Canaan dog breed in Jordan and animals in general. Their pro-life shelter is home to around 60 dogs, and they also have cats in foster homes. In addition, they run a trap-neuter-release program to keep the local cat population healthy and controlled. A number of the animals they care for have special needs, including blind, three-legged and paralyzed dogs. Network for Animals has supported the Al Rahmeh shelter and the ongoing care of their dogs and cats for the past five years through regular monthly support, so that they may continue their mission to protect and advocate for the animals of Jordan.
A dog at Network for Animals’ partner, the Al-Rahmeh Association for Animals, receives affection from NFA’s campaign director Luke Barritt on a recent trip to the shelter in Jordan.
Israel
Network for Animals supports the Starting Over Sanctuary (SOS), a safe haven for neglected donkeys situated in the Moshav Herut region of central Israel. Thanks to our supporters, we are in a position to provide SOS with consistent monthly donations. The funds go directly towards the sanctuary’s work rescuing and rehabilitating numerous donkeys, horses and other animals who find themselves in challenging and abusive situations across Israel.
In 2022, NFA supported the relocation of 200 donkeys rescued from abuse and neglect to La Tanière, a well-vetted sanctuary in France just outside of Paris. This remarkable 4,595-kilometer (2,855 mile) journey was only made possible thanks to the generosity of our supporters.
Dash (pictured above) was rescued by Network for Animals partner, the Starting Over Sanctuary, after being horrifically abused and injured by a group of children.
Israel-Hamas Conflict
In October 2023, violent conflict broke out after Hamas attacked Israel, and animals were abandoned as rockets struck and people fled for their lives. We knew that countless injured, terrified and forgotten animals would need our immediate help.
We teamed up with fearless organizations on the ground – Let The Animals Live (LTAL) and our long-term partner Starting Over Sanctuary (SOS) in Israel, and Sulala Animal Rescue (SAR) and Animal Environment Association (AEA) in Palestine – to rush critical aid to animal war victims.
Dogs, cats, donkeys and other animals had been left without food, shelter or anyone to care for them. Working with emergency rescue teams and brave volunteers, we were able to rush food and supplies to animals trapped in war zones, and to evacuate as many as we could. As the brutal war wears on, our support continues, funded entirely by the compassion and generosity of Network for Animals supporters.
We knew that countless injured, terrified and forgotten animals would need our immediate help. Credit: UNRWA Unicef/Mahmoud Ajjour
Turkey
Turkey is the scene of an appalling animal welfare scandal. In a 20-square mile (50-square kilometer) area around Tepecik in southeastern Turkey, there are thousands of abandoned or wild dogs who exist by foraging on the diseased carcasses of chickens, dumped by egg-factories in the area.
Local authorities who by law must provide shelter, food and medical care for the dogs, do not do so.
One of thousands of homeless dogs left to fend for themselves in the Turkish town of Tepecik.
There are two municipal feeding stations for the dogs but never any food in them. The only sources of water are streams polluted by effluent from local factories.
When an animal lover exposed the scandal, the authorities took him to court, alleging he killed dogs to create bad publicity for Turkey.
The area where the dogs live consists of forest, wilderness and fields. There are 200 chicken farms in the area and a large number of fertilizer factories. The dogs survive by eating the carcasses of diseased chickens dumped by the farms and, we are sad to report, by cannibalism of puppies.
Network for Animals Executive Director David Barritt feeds street dogs in Turkey.
Network for Animals has exposed shocking conditions at the chicken farms – conditions that breach Turkish law and international hygiene standards. Because so many dogs are dying, we are lobbying the government to test the level of toxins in streams polluted by fertilizer. So far, the authorities have not honored promises to do so.
A small animal shelter has been constructed near the town which houses only 50 dogs. We later obtained a sworn confession from a former municipal worker saying he and his colleagues had been forced to illegally kill or abandon some 14,000 dogs over a 20-year period on the instruction of local officials.
NFA lobbied the Turkish government asking the officials to step in and ensure that the dogs have the humane care prescribed under Turkish law. Action was promised but the situation remains unchanged.