Animal rights boss begins evacuation of pets

Dubai: An animal rights group official has gone to Jordan en route to Beirut to organise an international rescue team to evacuate animals. The creatures have been left stranded, hungry, and terrified after two weeks of Israeli attacks in Lebanon, the group's head announced yesterday.

Jason Baker, director of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), left his base in the Philippines which is the base of the group's Asia-Pacific operations on Wednesday, the group said in a statement sent to Gulf News.

According to Baker, PETA offices around the world have been flooded with calls on behalf of expatriates who are being forced by their government to leave Lebanon and abandon their dogs, cats, and other pets.

"Even elderly residents have chosen to suffer amid the rubble for days in order to safeguard animals whom they consider to be members of their families," Baker, a veteran animal rescuer, said.

In July last year, Baker, an American, rushed to New Orleans and led a team that saved animals abandoned in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, literally smashing down doors to reach dogs, cats and other animals. PETA's rescue teams were able to evacuate more than 300 animals and reunite many of them with their families.

In 2001, Baker led other animal rights activists in a New York City rescue effort in the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks.

Baker commended the Russian government for making provisions for animal evacuations.

"Many of these animals are small, like kittens, which can easily be carried in someone's arms. I urge the governments of all countries evacuating their people from Lebanon especially powerhouses like the US, the United Kingdom, and Canada to take Russia's lead. Let's work to bring all to safety, animals as well as humans," he said.

Philippines
50m euro fund will help citizens leave

The Philippines is one of the beneficiaries of a 50 million euro fund set aside by the European Commission to help foreign workers escape violence in southern Lebanon.

The European Commission said in a statement that it will use the Rapid Reaction Mechanism in response to an appeal made by developing countries to help repatriate their citizens.

The Commission estimates up to 200,000 workers from developing countries were living in Lebanon at the start of the conflict.

Authorities of many of these countries do not have the means to support their citizens' evacuation. The largest groups of workers are from Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Ethiopia and Bangladesh. The Commission said this package will assist in evacuating the most vulnerable people, such as children and single women.

By Carlo Cortes, Correspondent