Farewell old friend

Today, I dealt with the harsh reality of rescuing animals. Today, I said goodbye to an old friend.

Latifa was the one of a kind, only you can love, horse. She was spirited, she was stubborn. She had her days where riding was glory, she had her days you wondered why you bothered. But at the end of each and every day, I loved her.

When our paths crossed, we saved each other. Her from a life of racing the hard streets of Cairo, me from learning to leave the past behind and have the courage to start again. She gave me that courage. There was solace in knowing at the end of a long day, she would always be there with her head hanging over the edge of her box, knickering to go out into the desert and lose our heads for a few hours.

I have always carried guilt with me for leaving her behind in Cairo when I left. If I could go back now and change it, I would. Unfortunately our paths only move forward.

When I saw her photo at a local feed day, I immediately set about saving her. This morning I thought the battle was over. This morning, she was found.

If we had saved you Latifa, I would tell you I'm sorry. I'm sorry you were left alone, left as one of the forgotten horses of Cairo. I am sorry the light in your eyes dimmed and went out. I am sorry you crossed over the rainbow bridge without knowing the touch of a kind hand again.

Rest well, old friend. I will forever carry you in my heart, and walk away with the knowledge that your suffering is finally at an end. I wish I had been a few hours earlier.

Your passing was not in vain. Your passing serves as a reminder to me to at least provide a life free of suffering for those we can still help. Run free and happy on the lush grasses, where one day we will again run together. 

A Charity is Born

Equine welfare in Egypt is a contentious subject. Many living outside of Egypt will see pictures posted by one animal charity or the next, and remark with horror the condition that many of the horses are kept in. As a horse lover in Egypt, it is a brutal reality that never gets any easier. It was the continued abuse and neglect of equines here, along with the mass starvation crisis prompted by the January 25th Revolution, that saw the birth of the Continental Rescue and Rehab.

The journey began with Cleo, a wonderful little grey mare who was first rescued in October. It has taken 6 months, but Cleo is now fully rehabbed and I get the pleasure of beginning her again under saddle next week. Cleo has been adopted already in Hurghada, and can look forward to a quiet life with the Continental.

Cleo

It was not long after Cleo was rescued that Claire Dunkerley and Susan Richards-Benson were drawing attention from other animal activists. In November, the Continental rescued three additional horses, Cinderella, Ali Baba, and Rocky.

Cinderella, photo taken 28th March

Cinderella had been at one of the feed days organized by a Cairo based charity, ESMA, aiming to at least provide little feed for the horses in great need. At the feed day, Cindy went down to the ground from weakness. Claire and I did not actually realise that the mare we rescued was in fact the same horse until a few weeks later. Cindy was spotted being dragged behind a cart, grossly emaciated and with a saddle sore wound stretching half way down her back. There was no question she was in need of immediate help.

Next up was Ali Baba, essentially a walking skeleton. Ali Baba was still being worked. Ali Baba's rags to riches story was made possible by a donation from a couple from Germany who had met Cleo, and asked that if we were able to rescue another horse, to name him Ali Baba and they would cover the cost of purchase. He was so malnourished that 40 percent of his body was missing hair, he was listless, and had problems moving due to the sheer starvation.

Ali Baba on the 17th of February

Rounding out the trio was Rocky, who had also been at the same feed day as Cindy. His story is unique; grossly neglected, he would reach out to bite anyone that came close to him as a means of protecting himself. Rocky is covered in old scars from being branded, beaten, and whipped. He had an abscess in his hoof, that rather than treat his old owner had covered with a metal plate. It caused a massive infection in his leg, and for the better part of two months, he was rendered almost completely lame with poultice after poultice applied to his food to pull the infection out.

Rocky on the 13th of March

With the Continental's herd growing, Claire and I had a talk about where the future would take us. We wanted to ensure that we had the legitimacy that would continue allowing people to support us, and provide the transparency so crucial to the success of any charity. With that, the decision to register as a charity was born.

In the months of bureaucracy that the charity registration took, the Continental acquired two new rescues. First was Chili, rescued in the end of December, who has become the poster boy of the Continental.

Chili's story gripped many people's hearts. He came to us with a leg so swollen, and completely unable to bear any weight on it, not to mention he was covered in wounds and riddled with infection. For the first week, Claire and I debated back and forth on whether the most humane thing to do was to put this little horse to sleep, but his will to live was so strong he answered the question for us himself. Chili's first month with the Continental was very touch and go, and the fans on the page watched with bated breath for each new Chili update. The cost of Chili was covered by generous donations, and he continues to receive sponsorship on a monthly basis.

Chili on the 6th of April

To show you the dramatic difference, this is Chili
2 weeks after his rescue, on the 6th of January

We now know that Chili has an old break in his leg, which has caused a massive infection in the joints of his leg. He has been permanently retired, and his job from now on out will be to teach people about the will to live that horses possess, and the quiet nature that trumps all despite his tremendous suffering.

Rounding out the current herd was Sheba. We were asked to rescue Sheba after she was seen at another feed day. Her eye socket had been broken due to blunt force trauma to her head = translation, she was beaten upside the head. She also had a massive wound alongside her back and was underweight. Sheba, like Rocky, has taken a long time to learn to trust people again. Understandably, she would get very defensive around people and would often reach out to bite. Day by day she is learning to trust again and relax into life with the Continental. Sheba's adopted mum is based in the UK, but we hope will come to see us soon!

Sheba on the 6th of April

As of the 29th of March, Claire Dunkerley, Mohamed Ramadan, and Susan Richards-Benson are the very proud co-founders of charity number 310 in Hurghada, Continental Rescue and Rehab as an officiated and registered charity in Egypt. Plans for the future are well underway, and I hope you will join me in tracking our development as we undertake this new road towards improving equine welfare in Egypt.

There is never any rest for the wicked, and already the Continental has been called on again to help with another horse in a dire situation. I will update here in the next few days about that! To everyone that has watched and supported our work, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Our work wouldn't be possible without you. For more information on our rescues or to see the pictures from their first arrival and their progression with us, please like and follow the Continental Rescue and Rehab on facebook. 

Cattle Dying in Egypt's Suez Canal

Live exportation of animals is a contentious issue around the world. Stories of animals trapped on ships being refused entry into ports around the world is unfortunately not a new issue. The last incident involving a live export gone wrong occurred in 2010, when an Australian cargo ship transporting live cattle and sheep heading for the Egyptian port of Ain Sokhna decided to simply dump the carcasses over the side of the boat. This incident is believed to have triggered the 2010 shark attacks off the coast of Sharm el-Sheikh, and caused un-calculated damage to the environment of the Red Sea.

The most recent incident involves the MV Gracia Del Mar. Although registered as a Panamanian ship, the Gracia Del Mar departed from Brazil with a cargo of over 4,000 live cattle. Recently converted to a livestock vessel, the MV Gracia Del Mar allegedly had issues with ventilation in the animal hold area, causing over half of the cattle on board to perish.

The sheer volume of cattle that perished on board caused Egyptian authorities to deny port access for the ship. Accordingly, the vessel has been docked in the Red Sea entrance to the Suez Canal. It has also been denied entrance into Djibouti and Sudan for the same reasons.

Australia has a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with Egypt permitting the importation of live exports from Australia. As such, they are heading up the charge to try to allow the remaining cattle on board entrance into Egypt.

Animals Australia director Lyn White was quoted saying to an online publication that "Animals Australia has been working overnight with international colleague groups to find refuge for the surviving 2,000 cattle after Egyptian authorities refused to allow the animals to be unloaded...This is nothing short of an animal welfare disaster. If remaining cattle are not offloaded more of these animals will suffer appalling deaths at sea. We are appealing to authorities in Egypt to offload the remaining cattle at al-Sohkna, as was originally intended." 


White pointed to an incident involving an Australian live export ship, the MV Cormo Express carrying a cargo of sheep, where the refusal of one country after another to allow the ship to dock resulted in the death of 5,000 sheep. 


You can help let your voice be heard in this ongoing catastrophe. Email the following text to info_malr@agr-egypt.gov.eg

Dear Minister

                   It has been reported that 2750 cattle have died on board the livestock vessel Gracia Del Mar. According to the report the animals are continuing to die on board this ship . The report states that the cattle have been refused port entry in Egypt, Djibouti and Sudan because of the amount of dead or dying cattle of board .

The Egyptian Authorities must take action now to allow this ship to land so that the animals can be given veterinary or , were necessary, humanely euthanized . Such action is essential to prevent even more suffering in what has become a major animal welfare disaster.

End the San Bernabe Slaughterhouse

I was sent this page by a fellow animal rights activist, and although it is not in Egypt, the stories and images that I saw were so heartbreaking I have to share.

I have often thought that signing petitions was a useless endeavour, and would simply sign my name without any real belief that something would come of it. Two things have recently changed my mind about that: Number one, a petition and campaign that was launched against a show currently being aired here during Ramadan (details will follow in a later blog). Number 2, animal activists who have been actively involved in the Taiji dolphins will know that the power of petitions, combined with their stunning documentary "The Cove", has brought the dolphin plight to the forefront of global media. 

Any horse lover will be devastated to see the pictures on this site. **WARNING, GRAPHIC PICTURES** Any animal lover will be pushed to sign this petition. 

Let me give you a brief background. San Bernabe is a well known slaughterhouse in Mexico and has been in operation for the past 70 years. Here you will frequently see not only horses, but mules, donkeys, cattle, and other assorted wildlife on display and being used and abused. The story detailed on the link above talks of a horse that was forced to walk on a broken foot (and seeing the image, it is very evidently broken), to be led off to its death. Another incident talks of a pregnant mare forced to jump down from a 1 metre ramp, subsequently landing on her knees with a resonant crack, and left there to perish. Don't even get me started on the brutal way that these animals are slaughtered. I don't know if "bashed over the head with a hammer", and "humane" can even be used in the same paragraph, let alone sentence!

Animal rights campaigners have long been trying to put an end to this slaughterhouse. It is about time that we harness the power of the global communications tool that is the Internet, and spread the stories of these horses far and wide. 

There is hope, that if we garner enough attention and pressure, that the Mexican authorities will have no choice but to shut down this slaughterhouse in the face of international condemnation. 

Animals deserve compassion and rights too. Who are we to knowingly, to even willingly, impose such suffering. Please, sign and share. 

For more information on the San Bernabe slaughterhouse, see the following references: 

Animal Law Coalition

Change.Org

The Persian Horse 

A zoo on the edge?

This article sheds light on the infamous Lion Village located on the way to Alexandria. I'm actually surprised that the reporter was evidently shocked by the amount of garbage littering the place. Obviously they have never visited Giza Zoo; the trash there, as I pointed out in my blog post about it, was one of the biggest problems they had to face.

I also wonder why the reporter mentions nothing about visitors' ability to have their pictures taken with the "tame" lion cubs and lionesses.

The report is shocking, and begs the question as to why the zoo is being granted a new license, but when you see who is overseeing this licensing, it's sadly less surprising.

Taken from Al-Masri Al-Yawm, the report is below.

Lion Village: A zoo on the edge

In recent years, the environmental office has been regularly asked by visitors and activists to take measures to improve the state of the zoo at the Lion Village, located an hour and a half from Cairo, at Km 59 of the Cairo-Alexandria desert road. After two inspections over the past month by the environmental office, the license should be renewed shortly even though the zoo’s state is far from being ideal.

The first thing customers notice when they step into the zoo is a big cage in which a lion and a lioness are lying down. Although the zoo is located in the middle of the desert and experiences scorching heat in this season, the lions’ cage is obviously devoid of a water trough, and none can be spotted anywhere nearby.

When justifying himself, Ahmed al-Timsah, the owner and captain of the Lion Village, is full of contradictions. At one point he says that “every now and then, a worker puts water in a bucket and then removes it because otherwise the lions spill it”, but later asserts that there is a trough in a corner of a cage attached to the first one, which provides unlimited access to water all day. Black, filthy water fills its bottom.

When night comes, the lions retreat into inside compartments, where they cannot reach the water trough, which according to Timsah is fine, as “they are not thirsty at night anyway.”

As the zoo tour starts, one might notice how low the ostriches’ fence is, enough to let them approach and bite you.

“Ostriches, just like camels and dogs, are all predators but they’re not dangerous,” explains Timsah. Laughing out loud, he exclaims “Bite? Ostriches don’t bite!" but does not say what they do with their famous, harmful nozzle move that people fear so much.

   

Next stop: the hyena’s cage. One on each side, they walk back and forth. They do not stop. They do not pay attention to each other or the visitors. Timsah comments that “they’re just playing because it’s breeding period." But hyenas do not usually walk back and forth when breeding - on the contrary they tend to approach and court each other.

Around the corner, trash covers the animals’ cages. A monkey is playing, chewing a plastic bag as if it were a branch, while his neighbor has to deal with three plastic bags and some burger packaging on the ground of its cage. A bit further along, plastic cups and more trash are stashed in the cavity of a tree in the dogs' area. This tree is out of reach for customers, and Timsah says that “a little kid or a worker” must have put the trash there: “the place is usually very clean, it’s just not today.” He apologizes and adds “Egyptian people are very bad, as well as the people who work here.”  

Talking about misbehaving, some might have fun opening the cage door as there is no lock. "Bad" people who enjoy themselves by throwing trash in cages - or climbing a fence to hide a cup in the dogs’ area - might find it hilarious to free rabbits, dogs or other mammals.

The tour reaches the eastern side of the village and roars become louder as the tiny cages in which breeding lions lie becomes visible. The narrow cages don’t enable stretching in width, only in length. In the tiniest, two lion cubs sit next to each other, unable to move far from each other. Timsah justifies this by saying: “They were small when we got the cages.”

Despite the state of the zoo, Abdelwahab Khaddam, who inspected it on the behalf of the Wildlife Department of Giza Zoo last June, insists “it’s a very good place, and as long as the animals look happy and the standards are respected, the Lion Village can have a license.” Later mentioning the public complaints about it, Khaddam comes back on his comment : “it’s not that bad but it’s not very great.”

   

The Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) came on 13 July to renew Timsah’s yearly license, which expired at least five months ago. He requested a new one in October 2010, but no one from the environmental office showed up before June 2011.

According to the EEAA report and Timsah, their recommendations deal with the trash, the lion’s sleeping area, and the care given to water treatment, as most of the troughs were filled with dark and dirty water. Nothing else. They promised him that he would get a license within four days, while he promised that those changes would be made within seven days. In other words, he will be granted his license before starting any improvement work.

Update on the Lion fight!

My last post about the idiotic lion fighter was a re-post from al-Masri al-Yawm. I was shocked by the reaction that most people gave this article; they found it very humerous, particularly the part where he claims that his next stint will be pulling a "plane by his teeth."

This update is for everyone who thought that the original article was so "funny." This is to show you the reality of how "funny" this situation really was.

I can thankfully report that the Egyptian authorities stepped in and put a stop to the fight, although they have not arrested the culprit, nor have they confiscated the lion.

Al-Sayed al-Essawy is no longer an unknown name in Egypt. For some, he is the symbol of an "Egyptian hero." For others, he is the symbol of how much work is still needed in Egypt to protect the innocent lives of animals and help ensure that animal cruelty will no longer be accepted and practiced throughout the country.

Al-Essawy claimed that his lion fight was intended to bring back tourism to Egypt, and spark international attention back onto the Egyptian Arena. Well, mission accomplished in many ways. People around the world stood up in protest to what was being allowed to happen. A lion, who would knowingly be drugged, was to be fought in a cage to the death, all in an effort to A) Bring tourism back to Egypt, and B) demonstrate the Israeli oppression of the Middle East (How, I'm not exactly sure - other than him promising to drape the dead lion with an Israeli flag, this is really just more hoopla to get more people talking about him).

He planned to drape the Israeli flag over the lion's body

I was so happy to read last night that the Egyptian authorities put a stop to the lion fight. I was not happy however, when the details surrounding it were leaked. 

Pictured below is one of the lions Al-Essawy was intending to fight. You can see that not only is the lion already injured (above his eye), he has clearly been sedated. Reports surfaced that Al-Essawy and his cronies ensured that four days prior to the match the lion was unable to sleep. Here you see the "man" and the "beast," or really, the shadow of the beast. 

Bear in mind when Al-Assawy was first proclaiming that he would fight the lion, he promised to do so bare handed. In the picture above it is not only evident that he is NOT bare handed, he is in fact carrying: A spear, a shield, and a dagger in the sheath on his side. 

The Egyptian Minister of Tourism openly declared his condemnation of the expected fight, yet authorities continued to bleat feebly that they were unsure of where the lion fight would take place. Interestingly enough, in the actual location of the fight were many journalists and members of the press, but no army or police personnel unless they were plain clothed. 

And he thinks himself a "man"

Although I am happy that the fight was stopped, I am saddened by the fact that Al-Assawy was not detained, nor was the lion confiscated. Why? There were no "vets on hand nor was CITES present" and Al-Assawy escaped to an unknown location. 

So answer me this...If you really condemned the fight, then why show up to "stop" it without any vets or experts on big cats? Was it really a surprise that there were lions present? I suppose one step at a time. At least the fight was stopped (15 minutes after it started) but yes...focus on the positive. Dear Egypt, please let this serve as a reminder that barbaric cruelty will not help revive the tourism industry. If anything, it is increasing international pressure for the relevant authorities to finally enact some animal cruelty legislation. 

The Born Free Foundation is now also involved in the case, and are trying to uncover the whereabouts of the lion to take it into safe custody. I shall continue to update here as I learn more about the details. 

If you want to let your disgust with this situation be known, below are some relevant emails that you can send your complaints and comments to: 

egypt@egypttourism.org
emarketing@egypt.travel
feedback@touregypt.net