ANIMAL WELFARE WORLDWIDE

As many of you know, I am deeply concerned about animal welfare around the world. Rescuing, treating and re-homing pets is a passion of mine. It would become a passion for anyone who ever had to euthanize a pet only because they were unwanted.

This problem is large in the United States and even larger abroad. These issues receive lots of attention in the US, but many smaller countries have a very hard time getting recognized and receiving funding. Many years ago I had the privilege of speaking at an international seminar sponsored by the North Shore Animal League in Slovakia, giving me some real insights into the plight of dogs, cats and other animals around the world.

Whenever I visit another country I always try to assess their animal welfare programs and see if there is a way I can help. One of the ways this website offers is to increase the awareness of these groups around the world. I have just come back from a two-week stay in Israel and came upon a wonderful group called "Let Animals Live". I am still learning about them, but they are one of the larger (if not the largest) group in Israel, that was started as a grass roots organization by a wonderful woman named Eti Altman twelve years ago.

Let Animals Live is working to bring more awareness of the plight of animals to the Mid-East. They gained recognition in 1991 when many residents of Tel-Aviv had to flee their home when the city was being bombed and many animals were left behind. But their problems go on day in and day out. I witnessed first hand a SEVERE cat over-population problem everywhere I went in the country. Most of the dogs that we saw in the streets were desperately thin. It is apparent that the spay/neuter concepts we are finally starting to adopt in the United States have not quite reached these countries. Certainly, they have had other things on their mind while trying to reach peace with all of their neighbors. But Eti and her group are making a desperate attempt to be sure that the dogs and cats are not forgotten in the day to day struggles of a country the size of New Jersey.

If you would like to learn more about Let Animals Live, and just as importantly if you would like to donate some desperately needed funds to help their efforts to help the thousands of other animals in need, please contact them directly at: letlive@netvision.net.il

Let's all look out for the animals all over the world. As Eti Altman told me, "animal suffering knows no international boundaries". I could not have said it better.

Dr. Larry