FOUR PAWS International Rescue Team completes first half of harrowing mission to War Zone in Syria
BOSTON, July 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - FOUR PAWS, the international animal welfare organization, successfully completed the first part of its high-risk rescue operation near Aleppo, Syria. Nine animals have been evacuated from an abandoned amusement park, but more remain trapped. In the wake of the fighting and turmoil, FOUR PAWS' rescue team is planning to rescue the remaining animals while administering medical care to the already rescued wild animals.
On Friday July 21st, FOUR PAWS succeeded in evacuating three lions, two tigers, two Asian black bears, and two hyenas from "Magic World" amusement park near Aleppo. After a 24-hour road trip through Turkey, the animals safely arrived at their temporary home in an animal protection center in Karacabey, Turkey.
"The journey across Turkey was a tiring affair for all of us. Due to the extreme heat, we had to stop every three to four hours to check on the conditions of the animals and provide them with water," stated FOUR PAWS Veterinarian and Head of Mission Dr. Amir Khalil. "We are thrilled that we were able to bring the animals safely to their first destination."
The collaboration with international security experts has greatly contributed to the success of the long-planned mission. A security team, with experience in Syria operations, evacuated the animals from the amusement park and brought them to the Syrian-Turkish border. There, the animals were handed over to the FOUR PAWS rapid response team and taken to Turkey.
The final destination for the animals will depend on the retrieval of the remaining animals left behind at the war-torn Syrian amusement park. "We are currently working hard with our partners to get the remaining animals out of the zoo. If everything goes well, they will reach the Syrian-Turkish border in the coming days. We are not giving up on the remaining animals," says Dr. Khalil.
The challenging rescue mission is financially supported by a donation from American journalist and businessman, Eric Margolis. "I am relieved that the first part of the rescue mission has been successful," remarked Margolis. "These animals were surrounded by daily bombings and gunfire. I hope that the remaining animals will be safe soon."
SOURCE FOUR PAWS
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