CAT’s mission is to work with our community to save the lives of homeless, sick and injured cats and kittens by offering shelter, adoption, foster, hospice, and veterinary services to end needless feline euthanasia in our community.
Fourteen feline refugees from Lebanon’s capital city arrived in Portland on Monday, January 21, 2008, as part of an international adoption collaboration spearheaded by the Pixie Project. Five of the cats came to the Cat Adoption Team and the remaining nine to the Pixie Project in NE Portland. All five CAT Beirut cats found loving homes.
The Pixie Project, a rescue adoption center in N.E. Portland, worked with Beirut for the Ethical Treatment of Animals to bring some of their homeless animals to Portland in an effort to ease the burden on BETA’s limited resources. The Pixie Project enlisted the aid and expertise of the Cat Adoption Team in this international adoption collaboration.
War and political instability in the region make finding permanent homes for these animals in Beirut extremely challenging. Daily circumstances change and funding evaporates, yet the need to help the animal victims continues. Many of the strays on the streets were loved pets left behind when families evacuated.
The majority of cats sheltered by Beirut for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (BETA) were dumped at the shelter doors, rescued from the highway, or so badly injured they were overlooked by others.
Beirut for the Ethical Treatment of Animals was first organized in 2004 through grassroots rescue efforts. BETA became a registered charitable organization in 2005 with a mission to rescue and rehome strays and abused animals while combating abusive pet shops and the illegal trade in wildlife.
BETA is the only animal rescue organization for Lebanon and cares for over 340 cats and dogs in their shelters. They have 7 paid staff and about 20 volunteers. BETA pets have found homes through international adoption collaborations in Germany, Holland, Canada, and the United States.
Funded solely by private donations, BETA is able to find permanent homes for about 4 dogs and 3 cats each month. All of their animals are spayed or neutered prior to adoption and given basic vaccinations.
Abandoned on the streets, rescued from neglect at a pet shop, found in a garbage pail, injured and discarded, Ella, Cookie, Dido, Karel, Bono, Nancy, and the others now have a real chance at finding loving, caring homes here in Portland. And right now is a good time for them to be here. Shelters are not as full with cats and kittens.
Their flight from Beirut was uneventful. BETA representatives accompanying the cats report that the crew on Lufthansa are extremely helpful during these flights of mercy. At the layover in Frankfurt, specially trained staff walk the dogs and check on the cats so they do not need to be claimed and go through customs as they are transferred to other flights. Once at CAT, they settled in nicely during their short quarantine period - quickly becoming the favorites of staff.
Those who came to the Cat Adoption Team (all adopted):
•Dido, a 5 year-old spayed calico female, takes time to get used to her surroundings before showing her affectionate side;
•Cookie, a 3 year-old spayed female with a beautiful black and white coat, will meet you right at the kennel door seeking a pet;
•Nancy, a 5 year-old spayed female Siamese mix with a slight limp from an old injury, loves to be petted while she enjoys the comfort of her cat bed;
•Karel, an active 2 year-old spayed female with a lovely orange and white coat, and her brother
•JouJou, want nothing more than affection, toys, and to find a home together.
Fast Facts:
•Traveled over 6,794 miles from Beirut
•Arrived in Portland on Monday, January 21, 2008
•Available for adoption on Friday, January 25, 2008
•All tested for FIV and FeLV, spayed/neutered, fully vaccinated, examined by veterinarians, microchipped
•Know French, Lebanese, and English
•Lived in a communal space in Beirut so are used to living with other cats
•All five at CAT are adopted into good homes
Read the news stories: Deborah Wood’s Pet Blog (PDF), Oregonian Story (PDF), Salem News Story (PDF)
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