- Title: Gaza animals find new home following deaths at zoo
- Date: 7th April 2019
- Summary: RAFAH, GAZA (APRIL 6, 2019) (REUTERS) LION AT ZOO 'FOUR PAWS' VETERINARIAN AMIR KHALIL PREPARING INJECTION LION IN CAGE VARIOUS OF PEOPLE MOVING LION 'FOUR PAWS' LOGO SEDATED LION IN CAGE PEOPLE CLOSING CAGE 'FOUR PAWS' VETERINARIAN AMIR KHALIL TALKING TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) 'FOUR PAWS' VETERINARIAN AMIR KHALIL, SAYING: "There were many deaths recently because of the weather, economic situation and the security situation. The situation of animals when they grow here the cages are small, can't fit for these animals. These are some of the reasons why the zoo owner contacted 'Four Paws' organisation in Austria to help him and to move the animals to a better place for good health care." MAN LOCKING CAGE PEOPLE MOVING CAGE MEMBER OF 'FOUR PAWS' TEAM PREPARING INJECTIONS RAFAH, GAZA (APRIL 7, 2019) (REUTERS) PEOPLE MOVING OSTRICH INTO CAGE PEOPLE MOVING CAGE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) OWNER OF THE ZOO IN RAFAH, FATHY JOMAA, SAYING: "The man who lost his family, what should his feeling be? It is very bad. When we raise a cat for a week or a month, we feel sad to lose it, what about animals I lived with for 20 years and suddenly losing them." PEOPLE TRYING TO CATCH LION MAN NEAR LION VARIOUS OF KHALIL SHOOTING INJECTION KHALIL CHECKING ANIMAL KHALIL CLOSING DOOR OF CAGE, ANIMAL INSIDE PEOPLE MOVING CAGE VARIOUS OF PEOPLE MOVING CAGES TO TRUCK, CHILDREN WATCHING GAZA RESIDENT HUSAM SABAWEI HOLDING HIS DAUGHTER WATCHING PROCESS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) GAZA RESIDENT HUSAM SABAWEI, SAYING: "The zoo is the only place where we used to have a break in. It is the only place for entertaining our children." CHILD WAVING TO ANIMALS TRUCK CARRYING ANIMALS OUT OF GAZA BEIT HANOUN, GAZA (APRIL 7, 2019) (REUTERS) LION ROAR VARIOUS O TRUCK MOVING ANIMALS TOWARDS ISRAELI CROSSING OF EREZ
- Embargoed: 21st April 2019 15:52
- Keywords: Palestinians Gaza Zoo animals
- Location: RAFAH AND BEIT HANOUN, GAZA
- City: RAFAH AND BEIT HANOUN, GAZA
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA001A9GNUX3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Five lions, five monkeys, four ostriches, three peacocks, two wolves and a hyena departed Gaza for Jordan on Sunday (April 7), after being rescued from a Gaza zoo where many animals died of starvation and lack of care.
The animal welfare group Four Paws international carried out the relocation, which also included dogs, cats, foxes, porcupines and 10 squirrels.
Fathy Jomaa, owner of the zoo in Rafah, southern Gaza, blamed bad economic conditions and a decade of Israeli-led blockade on the narrow coastal enclave for leaving him unable to properly feed and care for his animals.
But Jomaa had come under intense criticism by animal care groups after a series of recent deaths and mishaps.
Four lion cubs died from cold during a storm in January. A monkey killed another, and a porcupine died more recently of unknown causes, said the owner. Earlier this year he de-clawed two young lions so that zoo visitors could safely pose for selfies with them.
Now only the birds remain at the site. They were left behind by Four Paws mission.
Four Paws veterinarian Amir Khalil, who led the rescue mission, said cages at the Gaza zoo became too small to house the animals and their offspring. He said the animals would go to a sanctuary in Jordan. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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