Best Friends Beirut Airlift to USA - please pass on

[Catty1]

Dear Members & Friends,

COUNTDOWN TO LIFT-OFF: We’re now entering the FINAL STAGES of preparation for the airlift of dogs and cats from their temporary sanctuary outside of Beirut.

FLIGHT DETAILS: All being well, about 300 animals will board a cargo flight one night early next week. The flight will stop to refuel at Manchester in the U.K. and then at JFK to clear customs and refuel, continuing on to Las Vegas for an evening arrival, when temperatures are cool. The dogs and cats will then board Best Friends trucks for the final leg of the journey to the sanctuary.

Traveling with the dogs and cats will be members of the Best Friends rapid response team, the vet team, and volunteers from Lebanon’s only humane society, Beirut for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (BETA).

BACKGROUND: You’ll recall that the BETA folks LOST THEIR SHELTERS DURING THE RECENT WAR, and have been caring for these homeless pets at a temporary refuge. These amazing volunteers have been coping with unparalleled challenges, including death threats to the dogs, a nationwide lack of cat food, and the near impossibility of finding any new adoptive homes locally.

Best Friends staff and volunteers have been on the ground for some time now, helping to care for the animals and prepare for the airlift. This whole operation will give BETA some breathing space to rebuild their shelters and get back to their urgent rescue work.

ADOPTIONS IN THE U.S.: We’ve had many applications for adoption in this country. Many thanks to all who have offered to open their hearts and homes. There are still dogs and cats (of all shapes, types, ages, and sizes) available for adoption. Please check out the Adoption tab at http://middleeast.bestfriends.org.

FUNDS: We’re lifting off on faith, since we still have not raised all the funds needed. Still looking for an additional $200 for many of the dogs and cats. YOUR DONATION, LARGE OR SMALL, IS STILL CRITICAL TO THIS WORK. Please use the donation button at http://middleeast.bestfriends.org.

Please keep in mind that BETA is the ONLY humane society in the entire country of Lebanon. So this rescue program is designed to help them re-establish their work and their shelters. For these 300 animals, it means new lives and new homes, but for ALL THE OTHER ANIMALS in that country, it also means new hope and new beginnings.

NEWS UPDATES are on the website every day at http://middleeast.bestfriends.org. Recent stories on the site include:

* How we’re building the temporary accommodations here at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary

* The animals at the BETA refuge in the hills above Beirut

* Heartwarming stories of rescue and reunion in Israel

* And the front page story in last Sunday’s Salt Lake Tribune

And as soon as we have more precise timing next week, we’ll let you know, and we’ll be setting up a SPECIAL BLOG to keep you up to the minute as the airlift gets under way.

As always, thank you for caring,

Michael Mountain

Best Friends

[Cinder & Smoke]

Dateline: Best Friends, Monday, September 25, 2006

Today, 150 dogs and 145 cats took off from Beirut International Airport at noon local time (5 a.m. EST), bound for Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.

First stop was Manchester, U.K., at 7:30 a.m. EST. They took off again at 11:30 a.m., bound for New York’s JFK Airport, where staff and animals will go through customs.

Then, it’s on to Las Vegas. Expected arrival time there is approximately 2 a.m. EST. The dogs and cats will be transferred to trucks for the four-hour ride to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.

On the ground in Manchester, U.K., Best Friends staff and crew reported that all was well.

The dogs and cats will have been in crates for more than 24 hours when they arrive at Best Friends. (Yes, we have lots of equipment to keep them clean and comfortable throughout the journey!)

On board with the animals are seven Best Friends staff and volunteers, and three members of BETA, who will be staying at Best Friends for a week or so for special training before returning to rebuild their humane society in Lebanon.

Thank you for making this historic event possible! Your donations to complete this mission are critical.

There are regular updates on the Best Friends website throughout the day at www.bestfriends.org.

/s/ Michael Mountain

Best Friends Animal Society

www.bestfriends.org

[Grace]

From the Best Friends site -

Orphaned cats and dogs arrive at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary
September 26, 2006 : 12:00 AM
Trucks filled with carriers unloaded at approximately 7:00 a.m. GMT. By about 8:30 a.m. the animals were all in there new temporary residences at the Best Friends Rescue Center located at the Sanctuary.

In the wee hours of the morning Best Friends and BETA volunteers and staff drove from Las Vegas Airport to the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Southern Utah.

Once at the Sanctuary, everyone worked quickly to get all the dogs and cats acclimated to their new environment.

Both animals and people were in good spirits. Although weary-eyed and tired there were definitely wagging tails, purring and happy hello howls.

The work is far from over. Each dog and cat will continue the evaluation process that began in Lebanon.

The goal, of course, is to get these war-torn creatures to their new forever homes.

If you're interested in adopting, be sure to click on the "Adoption" tab at MiddleEast.BestFriends.org.

[LilacDragon]

Sorry, but with the HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS of dogs and cats that are euthanized each year in the United States - Best Friends is IMPORTING more homeless animals!?!

It occurs to me that the money spent on this operation might have been better spent rebuilding their own shelter.

For goodness sake - a year after Hurricane Katrina, there are still animals homeless from that!

[Catty1]

Best Friends does a TON of work in the USA.

It must be hard deciding who to save - but I think this story, because it is international, will get attention on the news. That will help Best Friends at home.

And - there are probably people who would only donate to something like this.

I hope Best Friends says to the country: "Now that we have your attention..."

Good is bound to come out of it.

[Corinna]

Sorry but I agree with lilicdragon. I think my donations to Best freinds just changed to another rescue. I give enough for orphan children around the world, and try to help lots of animals in the USA.