All life matters – ‘OUR PLANET … THEIRS TOO’
Feb 7, 2018
By Claudia Farkas Al Rashoud
Special to the Arab Times
The newly-established Kuwait Liberal Society held its first
official event, an expertly-organised and well-attended seminar on animal
rights titled “Our Planet, Theirs Too.” Held in the KLS headquarters in
Shuhada, the seminar was a powerful and impassioned plea to local authorities
to remedy the dismal situation of stray animals that are suffering and dying on
the streets of Kuwait every day.
Among the KLS members welcoming the guests were President
Eman Hayat, members in the Media and Membership Committee Fatimah Al Hasawi and
Hamad Al Saeed, and Co-founder Dr Ibrahim Dashti. KLS was officially licensed
as a non-profit organisation by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor in
December 2017. According to the President, the group works “to strengthen the
pillars of a civil state inspired by the principles and values of liberalism
consistent with the constitution of Kuwait that promotes the spirit of freedom,
justice, and equality.”
Among the group’s goals is to pay attention to ethics and
morality of the society, regardless of religion, sect, gender, or ethnicity.
They aim to create a civil society based on morality, dominated by human love
and giving, where the individual is committed to the ethics of respect for
others and the appreciation of public freedoms in accordance with the law.
Fatimah Al Hasawi explained that the group of Kuwaiti men
and women chose to hold a seminar on animal rights for their first event in
order to promote equal rights for all creatures to live peacefully together on
earth. “We want to take a stand for animals. How can we be a civilised society
if we do not show mercy towards helpless animals? They all have souls, just as
we do.”
The program began with a graphic video made by the KLS team
Fatimah Al Hasawi, Anwar Dashti, and Mohammed Al Sebaee. It was filmed on the
streets of Kuwait and at the infamous Friday Market, where animals are sold in
inhumane conditions, crammed into tiny cages without shelter from the heat or
cold, often without food or water. It includes shocking scenes of horribly sick
and terribly injured animals, some of them dragging themselves along with
crushed limbs after being run over. The team also filmed dead kittens and
puppies that had casually been discarded. The heartbreaking images were
accompanied by simple captions: “I can’t speak for myself. You are my voice.”
“We can’t walk away. Please help us help them.”
“We cried a lot during the filming of this video,” Fatimah
recalled.
Master of Ceremonies for the evening Hamad Al Saeed
introduced the first guest speaker, Tamara Hayat, an animal rights activist,
volunteer with PAWS Kuwait, and an employee at Bayt Abdullah Children’s
Hospice. Asking her to respond to what she had just seen in the video, she
replied, “The problem is that animals are too often seen as something that can
just be thrown away at whim. And when animals are run over on the road, people
may feel pity for an instant, but they usually don’t do anything to help them.
We need to change the way that animals are perceived.”
Hamad asked her to comment on a video on the PAWS instagram
@paws_kuwait showing dogs and cats at the PAWS shelter. “The shelter is housed
on private land that is rented by PAWS. It is not subsidized. The volunteers
work hard to provide the animals with a warm, safe place to live, and they
depend entirely on donations to pay the rent, workers’ salaries, food, medical
care, etc. Expenses are very high and raising enough money is a constant
struggle.”
Tamara asked the audience, “How many of you have been
criticized for helping animals? And how many get criticized because ‘there are
people in more need that you should prioritize’?’” A show of hands made it
clear that these are indeed common remarks.
Tamara said that her response is to point out that she works
in a children’s hospice, and that she makes time to help people and animals. “I
assure you, it’s not even about choosing animals over humans. If you choose to
help people in Rohingya, people will criticize you and say, ‘Why aren’t you
helping people in Syria?’ In fact, it’s not about putting one group over
another. If you manage your time right, you can help in more ways than one.
“It’s not a coincidence that people who believe in the
pillars of humanitarianism are willing to help more than just one population
group,” she continued. “A quote I like that best reflects this idea, by James
Keller, states, ‘A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.’ Empathy is
a skill, and it is our duty as a community to do everything in our power to
foster that skill and allow people and especially children to learn and
strengthen it. This will change the fate of not only animals in Kuwait, but the
members of the community.”
Tamara went on to discuss the need for the animal rights
movement to urgently move forward in Kuwait. She spoke of the ethical,
humanitarian, and religious reasons that support the humane treatment of
animals. “But it’s not just about the animals,” she stated. “It’s about
Kuwait’s youth, education, children’s development and society’s understanding
that all beings experience pain and suffering. We can help alleviate that
suffering if we work hard, and work together.”
Tamara pointed out that countless studies have proven that
abuse towards animals is correlated with violence against people, giving
alarming examples and statistics. Cases of children who abuse animals should
also be a red flag. This type of behavior indicates there is a problem with
their mental health that needs to be addressed, before their aggression becomes
worse and is directed towards people, as has been the case among students in
the US who carried out deadly shootings in schools. Among the common characteristics
of all these students was the practice of abusing animals.
“Thank God we haven’t yet had any school shootings in
Kuwait, but we do have cases of violence, so let’s work to prevent such cases
before they become a reality,” she said.
Outlining other measures that should be implemented, Tamara
spoke about the need to ratify the GCC law against cruelty to animals so that
it can become effective in Kuwait; holding widespread awareness campaigns to
educate lawmakers, police, and the public about this important issue; and
cracking down on dog fighting, a cruel and bloody practice popular throughout
the world, and unfortunately, also in Kuwait.
“Pets are often stolen and used as dog fighting bait. Large
amounts of money are bet at these barbaric events. Some people regard dog
fighting as entertainment and even bring their children along, which is
obviously very harmful to young minds,” she said.
Other important needs are strict laws on importing pets and
regulating pet breeding and the standards of pet stores. “Did you know that the
Friday Market does not have a license to sell pets? They are only licensed to
sell feed, cages, and accessories. Most of the animals in the Friday Market are
there because they were dumped by people who don’t want them anymore. They keep
them there and expect to be paid once they’re sold. What happens when the
animal dies due to the terrible conditions and infectious, not to mention
lethal diseases that are prevalent there?” she remarked.
“We need a proper animal control department that is
transparent in its procedures and must be properly regulated,” she continued.
“It’s absolutely wonderful that there are so many groups in Kuwait rescuing
animals and finding them homes, and getting them treated at the vets. But on
behalf of every group I’d like to say that having Kuwait rely on these groups
is unsustainable. It is incredibly taxing on these people’s personal lives and
finances, and has a high rate of burn out. Unfortunately, as of now it is the
only help available. Kuwait needs a reliable and dependable animal control
department that does not resort to rat poison as the only solution. Within this
department there needs to be veterinary care and a regulated
government-sponsored shelter.”
Concluding her comprehensive speech, Tamara also emphasized
the need for animal welfare education in the classroom and more platforms such
as the Kuwait Liberals Society event. She thanked the KLS for bringing together
people of different backgrounds that can provide insight into how to help with
this important issue in different ways.
Next, Hamad introduced Timi Cissna, another animal rights
activist with experience in rescuing and training animals and working with
animals and autistic children. Hamad asked Timi about the common belief that
having animals in the home can contribute to children developing allergies and
other illnesses. Timi replied that in fact the opposite is true, and that
children who grow up with animals usually develop a stronger immune system.
“Personally speaking, I have always had all sorts of different animals all my
life, and I’m as healthy as can be,” she said with a smile.
Timi said that her goal is to educate people about the
countless number of stray animals suffering on the streets of Kuwait. “These
animals, many of which have been abandoned by their owners, are helpless
because they are not accustomed to living on the streets. Each and every animal
lover here in Kuwait can lend a helping hand by protecting these animals and
providing them with homes and shelter before they fall into the hands of
individuals like the cruel people that my friend Tamara described.”
Timi mentioned various reasons why adopting a pet is much
better than buying one. “First and foremost, you are saving a life. That’s
something that will provide you with a sense of fulfillment that you may not be
able to experience any other way. Many of these animals have experienced
horrific circumstances and will provide you with unconditional love and loyalty
for giving them a safe home.
“By adopting such animals, you are helping with the problem
of the overpopulation of dogs and cats on the streets, and you are also helping
the local animal groups and shelters, because they are all overwhelmed with
unwanted animals,” she continued. “Providing medical help for all these animals
is not always possible because the medical expenses are so high.”
Timi also spoke about some of the benefits experienced by
pet owners, such as reduced stress and anxiety and a healthier lifestyle.
“Kuwait has one of the highest rates of obesity in the world. All dogs need
exercise, so when you own a dog you are more likely to go and get the exercise
that not only your dog needs but that is good for you too.”
Timi cited a study done by Loyola University in the US that
found that patients who use pet therapy while recovering from surgery often
need significantly less pain medication than those who do not, because when
patients feel less anxiety due to the presence of their pet, they also feel
less pain. Other studies have proven that animals can help people recover from
traumatic events and that owning a pet has even been directly correspondent
with decreased suicide rates. “Caring for another being gives one a sense of
purpose and motivates them to get up and start their day every morning,” she explained.
In the United States and many other countries, animals are
used to help sick and disabled people perform tasks they are not capable of
performing by themselves, Timi said. Common examples of service dogs are
guide dogs to assist the blind and visually impaired, dogs that help people
with impaired hearing, mobility assistant dogs, and psychiatric service dogs.
Timi spoke of her own experience using her nine-year old rescued dog Nala to
help children suffering from autism.
“My friend Laila and I took Nala to the autism center where
she entertained and socialised with the autistic patients. It was one of the
coolest experiences ever,” she said, her face lighting up at the memory. “The
kids were so happy, they had the biggest smiles on their faces, and Nala just
loved being with them. The kids really responded to Nala’s completely
nonjudgmental and unconditional love.
“As you can see, there are countless benefits of owning a
pet, but the reality is that there are large numbers of dogs and cats on the streets
that will never have anyone to care for them,” summarised Timi. “We have
shelters and rescue groups that can help you find your fluffy new best friend.
Let’s be the change these deserving animals need.”
The second half of the seminar brought Maha Al Khatib and
Sara Al Awadhi from Kareq8 to the stage. Kareq8 is a volunteer animal rescue,
rehabilitation, and education organisation. The animals that are rescued by the
group are kept in foster homes until they are adopted either locally or abroad.
Maha and Sara spoke about the challenges facing the group and echoed some of
Tamara and Timi’s frustrations and concerns.
Like other animal activists, members of Kareq8 also
sometimes face criticism for concentrating their efforts on helping animals.
“People tell us we need to solve the human rights issues first, but let’s be
realistic, all the human rights issues will never be solved, so we need to work
on both fronts,” Sara stated. “Besides, we have to take into account the fact
that animals have no voice. If humans are in trouble, at least they can make
themselves understood, unlike animals. In addition, we have the Red Crescent
Society and many other well-organised and well-funded groups in Kuwait that are
working to help people.”
It was pointed out that most of the animal welfare groups
have a very limited number of volunteers. “We are only about fifteen members in
Kareq8, and around five of those are very young, so we urgently need more
committed volunteers,” Maha added. “We are not a government agency, we don’t
get paid for this, we are all just volunteers with jobs and families who give
our time to rescue animals.”
“Sometimes people call us and report an animal in a remote
location, and we do our best to go there and pick it up and take it to the
vet,” said Sara. “These private vets are very expensive, but we have no
alternative. Every day there are sick and injured animals that urgently need
our help, but sometimes our hands are tied because of a lack of funds. We need
help, we can’t help them all just by ourselves. We also need more foster homes.
When a person finishes their treatment in the hospital, they go home, but where
does a stray animal go?”
“We get some really shocking cases of animal abuse,”
continued Maha. “They are often so bad we can’t post them on our Instagram. If
parents don’t teach their kids that hurting animals is not ok, then there is
something seriously wrong. We also need to do more work in the schools and
educate children on this issue.”
The Kareq8 volunteers also lamented the lack of effective
animal welfare laws, the deplorable conditions at the Friday Market where sick
and dead animals are simply thrown in the trash, and the fact that there are no
mobile rescue vans for animals, and no help for animals from the government.
A lively discussion and question and answer session took
place after each segment of the seminar. Dr Ibrahim Dashti spoke strongly and
convincingly of the urgent need to take action for animals. “Why is nothing
official being done to help animals? Each one of them is a soul. Where is our
government, the Environmental Protection Agency, our politicians, our members
of parliament, our religious leaders, public figures like actors, celebrities,
and sportspeople? Why is there no public outcry? Except for these small groups
of volunteers that are struggling on their own, I don’t see anyone doing
anything to help. In this country we have an overabundance of shopping malls,
coffee shops, and restaurants, but where is the government animal shelter?”
Lynn Whyte, the founder of Second Chance Charity, was
another member of the audience with strong feelings on the subject of the
plight of stray animals in Kuwait.
“I work with many animal rescue teams, mostly expats,
gathering donations of pet food and essentials for rescued animals and also
helping with vet bills. I have a lot of concerns regarding animal welfare in
Kuwait. I see many problems on all levels and I’m hoping this meeting tonight
will help raise more awareness, but more importantly I hope that the Kuwaiti
government will realise the importance of education and protection of animal
welfare. As an animal lover and Muslim I hope we can work together promoting
Islamic values of the rights of animals.
“It’s time for Kuwait to act, just talking is not enough any
more. There are resources here, land, manpower, and money. Let Kuwait be known
for its fair treatment of these poor animals, not shame for its neglect,” she
said. “Let Kuwait act on the abusers and educate the negligent. It’s time to
start to care.”
The discussion continued, with KLS President Eman Hayat
promising to schedule a meeting to follow up on animal welfare issues,
particularly in regard to lobbying for the ratification of the GCC law for the
prevention of cruelty to animals. Judging from the strong opinions of the
audience and the large turnout, the issue of animal welfare in Kuwait should
indeed be taken seriously by the government.
Concluding the successful event, MC Hamad Al Saeed gave a
brief speech that summed up KLS sentiments. “Every day we take it for granted
that we live in homes and we demand that hospitals take care of us, and we are
given medicines that protect us from all kinds of diseases. But let’s put our
human selfishness aside and remember that even the smallest creatures on this
planet need to live with health and safety. Therefore we demand that free and
humanely-run animal shelters and clinics be established. God gifted this land
with the power of wealth to sustain us. Animals are the wealth that balance the
earth and are an integral part of this land. Therefore, just as we care for
human beings, we have to care for them.”
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Claudia is a wonderful person and has worked with PAWS in helping animals. The sheer amount of abuse and torture that rescuers face on a daily basis in Kuwait has many stressed to the point that they just can't go on. I hope more people will be pioneers in the fight to end animal abuse in Kuwait.
