WHO WE ARE:
We are STAR Team for Animal Rescue
We started volunteering as a team four years ago. We began by rescuing abused and injured animals in need of treatment and accommodation. Many of the disabled animals at our shelter suffer from blindness or loss of one or more body limbs. We then established an association that operates with a legal permit from the Ministry of Labor and Social affairs under Publication No. 640 of 5/3/2018. STAR is located in the Saboura area, a suburb of Damascus.
Due to the war that Syria has witnessed over the past years, there has been an increased number of stray dogs in residential areas looking for food and safety. This led to severe complaints by residents to municipalities, which in turn dispose of dogs either by shooting or poisoning them.
After several years of work, we managed to rescue many stray animals in the city and the countryside and we currently have more than 1500 cats and dogs at the shelter. We rescue, treat, and sterilize the animals and after their hospitalization period, we move them to their designated rooms.
WHAT WE DO:
Our objective is to reduce the number of stray dogs by eventually containing them within special natural reserve areas. We also plan to provide visible microchips to dogs living in residential neighborhoods to indicate that the dogs marked on their ears are healthy, vaccinated and disease-free, and to spread assurances among the residents.
We have 12 active members responsible for animal rescue, care, and treatment and we also have 20 supporting members.
OUR SHORT-TERM GOALS:
- to treat animal injuries, whether natural or intentional (due to human violence)
- to provide all necessary treatment within the shelter (800 cats and 400 dogs)
- to provide necessary equipment for the process of picking animals during the rescue operation (traps, equipped car, anesthetic)
- to rehabilitate existing rooms at the shelter to conform to health standards and provide additional rooms
OUR LONG-TERM GOALS:
- to prepare a natural reserve area for stray dogs and another one for cats where they can be moved after they are sterilized and given the necessary vaccines
- to find suitable adopters for dogs/cats
- to train dogs to serve the community (escort, protection)
- to train some dogs to serve people with special needs
- to provide a suitable space where children can visit and have a close encounter with dogs/cats to nurture compassion, love, and respect for animal life
- to reduce stray dog density in residential areas such that only one or two dogs remain in each neighborhood with microchip marks on their ear
- to develop a plan to capture stray cats, vaccinate, sterilize, and release them where they were found in order to limit reproduction
WHAT WE NEED:
We are seeking between $50,000 and $70,000 in funds to cover the cost of the following operations over the next year
1. to catch injured animals and move them to the shelter
2. to continue to provide necessary treatment and care
3. to provide an insulation space where injured animals can stay during treatment
4. to rehabilitate injured animals and integrate them with other animals with similar conditions in separated rooms
5. to attract potential adopters within and outside Syria providing a better life for the animals
We will measure the success of this project through the reduction in the number of stray animals in Damascus as a start. We aim to raise awareness in the city about how to treat animals properly and with a humanitarian approach and to reduce the number of killings in the city.
We are currently producing some handmade products for animals as well as dog treats. All the proceeds support the shelter and we are working to develop the project so the products become more widespread which would ensure the continuity of the project.
