MSI Press Blog

  photo from Animal Friends Shelter This is the first of a series of Caturday posts about cats trapped in war zones. Cats are not political (nor are dogs or any other animal for that matter--nor, generally, the people caring for them, nor this post). In peace and where people watch out for them, cats enjoy being loved and learn to return love. Yet, cats (and other animals) do get find themselves struggling in war zones. They, just like people who have done nothing to bring harm to anyone else but just happen to live there, suffer the consequences of evil descending unexpectedly from sources external to them. Like people, cats and other animals suffer when they are homeless and without food or winter. And they are often completely forgotten when war (or natural disaster, for that matter -- they drown in floods and burn in fires) breaks out. Like people, they have to dodge bullets, bombs, and other dangers. Unlike people, they are often not calculated into humanitarian outreach effor...

    photo from Animal Friends Shelter Two weeks ago, our Caturday post focused on the  plight of animals and their caregivers in war zones .  It focused as the first in a planned series on Animal Friends Shelter in Gaza City.  Animal Friends Shelter Last Saturday, we updated the information available from Tamir and Samir, two selfless cat godparents weathering the war in Gaza City (and, of course, beyond).  This Caturday, we can report that we last heard from AFS yesterday. We know from the news reports that the Internet is not functioning in Gaza right now, but we hope and pray that AFS is able t continue caring for its family of cats, who, yesterday, were squabbling a bit over rationed food.   Animal Friends Shelter is on Twitter:  Animal Friends Shelter (@AnimalFriendsAF) / X (twitter.com) And for those who wish to donate (AFS is a charity) to help -- PayPal.Me . Now, with an invasion going on and the Internet is down, donations may take a...

  sons, Zain and Zayed, helping to care for the cats This is an update on the dire straits of the Animal Friends Shelter in Gaza. With 57 cats (and growing, because of the kindness of the brothers who operate the shelter toward street cats, that they try to take in or otherwise feed on the street -- or, better stated, share their own food with) and war all around, even resilient people lose their strength without the help of friends and strangers.  Brothers Tamer and Samer Skaik stayed behind in Gaza City to care for the cats and move them to safety (if there really is any such thing there) when the city was repeatedly bombed. As food has become more and more scarce, they have been reduced to one meal, mostly bread, which they share with the cats. (Note: for those who have not read the papers, the aid trucks from Israel and elsewhere are being hijacked, assumedly by Hamas soldiers, and the people of Gaza have to pay high prices, which many do not have, on the black market or h...

    photo from Animal Friends Shelter As most people know, the situation in Gaza is beyond-belief-horrible for both people and animals. When hunger and devastation strike, the animals are more often than not forgotten and left to survive a while with fear until they die of starvation. They are the often forgotten victims of wars, whether in the Middle East, Ukraine, or Africa.  Here is an update on the situation with the Animal Friends Shelter in northern Gaza, that has appeared in Caturday columns in the past (along with other shelters in Gaza, shelters in Israel, and animal rescue efforts in other parts of the world). For more posts about these situations, see our columns on " Cats in War ." Lack of food and hunger has become unsustainable for the families of the two brothers, Tameer and Samir, who operate the shelter. Thanks to donors, one of the families has begun the process of emigration. The other family still needs a few more donations. So do Tameer and Samir who ...

Usually, I do not post on the same topic two Caturdays in a row, but this one is urgent. As you can see, the cats (like the humans) in Gaza have run out of food. Not only is it scarce, but what is available is extremely expensive.  The Animal Friends Shelter right now is experiencing discouragement and yet, this week, had a bit of good news. The family of Samir Skaik (one of the two brothers who operate the shelter) has made it into Egypt. Hurrah! Thanks to donations from kind-hearted cat-loving people from around the world.  Tamer has left the shelter in Gaza City (the north) and is waiting with his family in Rafah (the south) to get across the border, but the situation is dire, with an invasion of Rafah expected at any minute. They are still trying to gather the money they need to be able to evacuate from Gaza in time. Should those of you reading this Caturday post wish to donate, it is pretty easy to do here though Go Fund Me . Just $5 will help, and there are $5 contribut...

  Following up on previous posts about the Animal Friends Shelter, we wish we could say good things are happening -- and donations do come in, that is good -- but the circumstances become more and more dire for this Gaza shelter, with one of the two shelter volunteers/staff/managers developing hepatitis (typical right now in Gaza but medical facilities are mostly blown up) and food markets and warehouses being blown up, too. Still, some food can be found; it is just becoming very, very expensive and the shelter dependent upon donations, for which they are very grateful. Praying that enough people will help for now and that complete relief will come soon. If you wish to donate directly to the shelter, it is also possible -- and safe. I have done it twice, and each time the funds were received right away. The link to donate is  PayPal.Me . The funds go directly to Sameer. If you are a cat lover, please do take the time to read the posts at the  Animal Friends Shelter  ...

  And now, the third post in the series of Caturday posts about cats trapped in war zones. Cats are not political (nor are dogs or any other animal for that matter--nor, generally, the people caring for them, nor this post). In peace and where people watch out for them, cats enjoy being loved and learn to return love. Yet, cats (and other animals) do get find themselves struggling in war zones. They, just like people who have done nothing to bring harm to anyone else but just happen to live there, suffer the consequences of evil descending unexpectedly from sources external to them. Like people, cats and other animals suffer when they are homeless and without food or winter. And they are often completely forgotten when war (or natural disaster, for that matter -- they drown in floods and burn in fires) breaks out. Like people, they have to dodge bullets, bombs, and other dangers. Unlike people, they are often not calculated into humanitarian outreach efforts Sulala Animal Rescue , ...

  Reposting from Twitter on behalf of an animal shelter in Gaza in dire straits because of the conflict that has just spring up. The message: Please it is a TOP URGENT situation🚨. We don't have time and we have to secure food and needs as fast as possible. The suppliers are about to close their door due the unfortunate conflict here in Gaza Donate🙏 https://paypal.me/DonateAFS?country.x=IL&locale.x=en_US Please consider to repost, it is UMERGENCY🚨 COMMENT: I HAVE FOLLOWED ANIMAL FRIENDS SHELTER FOR SOME TIME. THEY SHOW WONDERFUL VIDEOS OF INTERACTITONS WITH THE CATS AND HOW WELL THE CATS GET ALONG. THEY WERE SCRAPING BY -- AND THEN THIS WEEKEND'S CONFLICT HIT. IF YOU CAN AFFORD TO SPARE SOME CHANGE, AND IF MONEY CAN HELP IN ANY WAY (THE SITUATION IS TOUGH TO GET ANIMAL FOOD RIGHT NOW), PLEASE CONSIDER DONATION. and please spread the word

  Finally, the second post in the series of Caturday posts about cats trapped in war zones. Cats are not political (nor are dogs or any other animal for that matter--nor, generally, the people caring for them, nor this post). In peace and where people watch out for them, cats enjoy being loved and learn to return love. Yet, cats (and other animals) do get find themselves struggling in war zones. They, just like people who have done nothing to bring harm to anyone else but just happen to live there, suffer the consequences of evil descending unexpectedly from sources external to them. Like people, cats and other animals suffer when they are homeless and without food or winter. And they are often completely forgotten when war (or natural disaster, for that matter -- they drown in floods and burn in fires) breaks out. Like people, they have to dodge bullets, bombs, and other dangers. Unlike people, they are often not calculated into humanitarian outreach efforts In this post, we share...