Baalbek-Hermel governor Bashir Khadr in Eastern Lebanon has launched a project to establish a safe shelter for stray dogs, in coordination with the Baalbek Municipality, which provided the land and is responsible for preparing and equipping it, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Veterinary Doctors Syndicate. This initiative addresses a long-standing issue in Baalbek, which is also present in many other areas of Lebanon, particularly given that it has caused many problems for the residents of Baalbek, whether in terms of noise disturbances at night or the fear some have of walking due to potential attacks from stray dogs.
Project stakeholders emphasized that "the solution is not to kill these dogs, as they are living beings, and we are not humane if we do not protect these lives and treat them kindly. At the same time, we need to protect ourselves from any harm we may encounter, which is why we are launching this project today." They considered that "attacking stray dogs or inflicting harm on them is unacceptable by ethical, religious, or legal standards, and killing animals is a crime that reflects that the perpetrator is backward in every sense of the word."
Khadr explained that "the matter does not end with establishing a safe shelter for stray dogs; we need to work on raising environmental awareness and promoting kindness to animals." He pointed out that "the completion of the project will not require much time or expense, as the land provided by the municipality is already fenced and only needs doors and preparation for the area where the dogs will be housed, in addition to securing food. Some may say that we should provide housing and food for people before caring about stray dogs, but this approach is incorrect; we are not securing dog food at the expense of humans, as the food for stray dogs comes from the leftovers of butchers and restaurants and from materials unsuitable for human consumption, which can still be utilized by the dogs. Additionally, these dogs will be neutered to prevent breeding, meaning the problem will decrease rather than increase."
