Justice for Winston: Import of Pets to Kuwait Often Ends in Tragedy

This is a re-post for a GoFundMe account.  Please see details below. 

Laila had been studying in Washington, DC, USA and was moving back to Kuwait with her two year old cat, Winston. She made sure to bring his completed paperwork (USDA IHC) from his veterinarian that stated he was healthy and approved for travel. Winston was with her at all times in the comfort of the cabin of the Lufthansa flight and not in the cargo.

When Laila landed in Kuwait, she went through customs smoothly and picked up all her bags from the baggage claim area until an airport customs officer stopped her and told her that she had to leave Winston at the airport so that he could get checked by the airport vet, as per legal requirements for every animal entering the country (despite USDA approval). They promised he would be delivered to her at the cargo terminal in 2 hours. She spent some time trying to convince them to not take him away from her and showed him all the paperwork proving he was healthy, but they wouldn't budge and said that this was the procedure for every animal that arrives the country.

She stayed at National Aviation Services (NAS) in the cargo terminal, for 3 hours until she was informed that Winston was missing. According to NAS, Winston escaped from his carrier after leaving customs to go to the “vet”; he jumped out of the transportation trolley, and ran away around the cargo area/landing zone. She knew how afraid Winston was of strangers, and the only person he was comfortable with was herself. Laila also knew what type of places he would likely hide in. She begged them to let her go to the area he escaped to but they refused, saying only people from NAS and civil aviation had access to the area.

Laila spent two nights and half a day begging managers and officials at the airport to let her through but they all refused. She was told that she would get security camera footage and that employees were searching for him, but all she got was empty promises. She even printed and distributed flyers throughout the NAS facility, with pictures of Winston and including a monetary reward for anyone that found him. After 3 days of trying to get through, Laila was informed by NAS that Winston was found dead from heatstroke. Laila retrieved Winston's body after 4 hours of waiting at the NAS’ facility.

Throughout this horrifying journey, Laila had discovered a smelly, dirty, and cramped hall where they kept “live animals” with no air conditioning in 114 F degree weather. In one of the rooms, she found Winston’s dumped pet carrier, even though she was told that they were using the carrier to lure Winston inside. She also met with the “vet” at NAS, who claimed that he has not had an animal come to his office in YEARS.

Winston was not the first pet to runaway and/or die in NAS’ facility according to several rescues and pet travelers. Laila is currently meeting with a lawyer with plans to sue NAS and obtain #JusticeForWinston and all the other animals that died under NAS' care.

Laila is an animal rescuer. She has been to several rescue seminars, interned at a well known rescue in Washington DC, and has fostered several kittens. She wants to save as many Kuwaiti animals' lives as she can in Winston’s name, under the “Winston Memorial Foundation”, but will need funds to do so.

This Go Fund Me campaign will not only help pay for legal fees in suing NAS, but also allow her to set up a foundation in Winston's honor so that no other Kuwaiti pets and pet parents go through what she endured. Further, Laila will continue the push for the implementation of animal right laws in Kuwait which is an ongoing issue that has not yet been resolved. This would raise awareness regarding the neglect and poor treatment of animals in Kuwait whether they are stray or handled and kenneled at NAS.

Please donate to our campaign to remember Winston, and to ensure no Kuwaiti animal ever dies in vain again. Thank you! With a heavy heart at the loss of Winston, we are seeking $15,000 to proceed with her mission and to seek #JusticeForWinston. Thank you, to all the animal lovers throughout the world, to all who follow Leila on Instagram @leya_and_winston and to all those who know that animals are worthy of being treated with respect and love.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/justice-for-winston-the-cat?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=fb_dn_cpgnstaticsmall_r&fbclid=IwAR0ynsqQdkD9cHDavr9K5cGFXah2HFZrMbLQV0_d-1-6B6Ocx0Xun-VhEPQ

Beware Importing a Pet to Kuwait

RIP Beautiful Winston

You may have heard the story by now of a Kuwaiti woman (@leya_and_winston) who brought her cat back to Kuwait from study in the States - in the cabin - only to have the cargo company (NAS - National Aviation Services) responsible for checking animals "loose" the cat and later find it dead?

 

Im fucking crying my ass off while i type this. Winston is missing. When we arrived Kuwait the officer stopped us at the airport and told us we needed to get a paper signed to get winston in kuwait (even though i showed him all the correct paperwork specifying winston is healthy and up to date in all his shots, ect). Since they are too lazy to accept the documents they made me sign a paper. As i picked up winston’s bag they stopped me and told me that he needs to go see a doctor at the airport to make sure hes not carrying any diseases and apparently thats what happens to all animals that arrive the country. I fought with them and begged them not to take him but the officers said those were the rules.

I waited for 3 hours and in the end they told me that he fucking ran away in the cargo on the way to the doctor. He ran away out in the open where all the planes and trucks are. Ive been crying screaming and hysterical ever since and im not authorized to go search for him. We begged the guards to let us in and we were able to scout the area but i wasnt allowed to leave the car. It’s currently 95 degrees and will continue to get hotter to 114 degrees . I am so devastated and destroyed. I dont know what else to say. I am charging my phone and will be back at the airport in a few hours. If you are in kuwait and can help please let me know. They wont even let me SEARCH FOR MY OWN CAT please if anyone has authority and can help please let me know this cat is my entire life please help me.

The cargo company, National Aviation Services posted this:

We regret the unfortunate turn of events with Winston.
We extend our deepest condolences to Ms. Laila and her family during this difficult time.
We are very sorry for their loss.
We are conducting an in-depth internal investigation into the matter.
People will be held accountable.
We will also be putting in place more stringent procedures under “FOSTER” rules to ensure this does not happen again.
To ensure higher safety standards for each animal in our care, we are creating a $100,000 fun – “Foster” towards improvement of animal care facilities at the airport.
We carefully handled over 700 household pets last year without incident. We understand that each animal is unique and precious.

 Apparently there has been a law implemented in Kuwait that if you import an animal to Kuwait, it must be taken to the cargo section (where there is no AC in 50c heat) to be checked by a Kuwaiti vet. Usually the wait time is 3 hours from what I hear. 

One of my readers sent me this:

"They MUST change how they treat pets in the cargo terminal!!
The new rule is sooooo stupid, how they force taking your pet from you when it travels in the cabin with you and take it to the cargo terminal to see the vet!
This is such BS and so unnecessary!!!
If the vet needs to check a pet, I think they should come to the main terminal to check the pet!
Every pet that comes in is healthy and has all of its shots or the airlines would not allow them to get on the flight!
People bringing in pets must also have an import permit.
In order to get the import permit you have to have proof that the cat is in good medical condition!"

A recommendation from an animal group in Kuwait (translated from Arabic - sorry):

1.       If you travel from Kuwait to any second country with your pick-up or bring you both inside the cabin or under the plane in a private animal cabin, make sure your papers are complete and meet all the requirements and conditions of travel To the country they're looking for.

2.       they bought a suitable size cage so that the animal can turn its breath and wear it with comfort and for those who stop its head do not hit the roof of the cage.

3.       make sure that the cage you are wearing is the type that is intoxicating in screws from every direction and the door is strong.

4.       Buy Cable ties in family supplies colors and sizes or ace hardware ace hardware they took the size to your cage.

5.       some cages are ready with holes from the sides and open the door other than of course the openings to mascara in screws you can put in the wire bond more protection for the cage or you can put additional holes in the cage via dere or the way I always follow it no N I don't have dere hottest precious on the air and press tricks the place where I fix the hole in the cage and with the heat I melt the plastic and be I have a suitable hole whether if the cage has holes or I need additional holes of course the cage orbit with ties The wires are in the house and to whom you deliver the airport after you have completed all the travel papers and procedures before they take the flying cage, lock the door from all sides in the wire links.

6.       Be at the airport three hours before the travel date so that you and the staff of the airport will be easily and without rush to you and the airport staff.

7.       if the aviation officer asks you to see the animal of you, be there and with him you open the cage with yourself and you are possessed by the animal and you enter it and screw the door is fair.

8.       the best to stay after you complete all the procedures and wait with your live at the flight counter to the last time to enter the plane you can tell the flight staff that you will not be waiting for the animal cage now you are waiting for me the last time to sit outside the plane for a while Especially long since Jonah has mercy and usually the staff are understanding and cooperative in this respect.

9.       when they take the cage from you take it down so that I go to the plane reached the transport employee and and it is fair to take care of the animal justice and what I offer to anyone i can hurt (normal workers or people put the cage with animals or Insist on them or open the door from the anchoring is necessary to lock the door in the wire links because it only opens in scissors) and also above that you have the worker give him a reserve to take care of justice.

My advice:  Unless you absolutely HAVE to (as in Leila's case), never import an animal to Kuwait.  Never never never.  And if you need further confirmation of this, refer to my last post on animal poisoning.

Dog Poisoning in Kuwait

Dogs are being poisoned in Kuwait in the name of pest control.   Strays are being taken to a location in Hawalli  fed rat poisoning and left on the floor to die in torture.  This is according to several sources who have stated that a private agricultural company has been contracted to round up the strays and kill them.  This is a country-wide initiative.

Dogs should not be considered pests.  

I don’t understand how a country with no division of “church and state” (meaning laws are tied to religion) that so many people including lawmakers don’t know their own religion.  The Quran is very clear on compassion to animals.  The hypocrisy is baffling.  Why torture animals in the name of “pest control”?  ALL the prophets kept dogs and were kind to them!  Man took parts of religion and threw away the rest to suit his own purposes.  To me, that is blasphemy.

حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ عَنْ سُمَيٍّ مَوْلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ السَّمَّانِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ:

‎بَيْنَمَا رَجُلٌ يَمْشِي بِطَرِيقٍ اشْتَدَّ عَلَيْهِ الْعَطَشُ فَوَجَدَ بِئْرًا فَنَزَلَ فِيهَا فَشَرِبَ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ فَإِذَا كَلْبٌ يَلْهَثُ يَأْكُلُ الثَّرَى مِنْ الْعَطَشِ 

‎فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ: 

‎« لَقَدْ بَلَغَ هَذَا الْكَلْبَ مِنْ الْعَطَشِ مِثْلُ الَّذِي كَانَ بَلَغَ بِي » 

‎فَنَزَلَ الْبِئْرَ فَمَلَأَ خُفَّهُ ثُمَّ أَمْسَكَهُ بِفِيهِ فَسَقَى الْكَلْبَ 

‎فَشَكَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ فَغَفَرَ لَهُ .

‎قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَإِنَّ لَنَا فِي الْبَهَائِمِ أَجْرًا فَقَالَ نَعَمْ فِي كُلِّ ذَاتِ كَبِدٍ رَطْبَةٍ أَجْرٌ

‎صحيح البخاري 2323 / صحيح مسلم 2244

Information on the animal poisoning in Kuwait:

Change.org petion HERE

Article on protest HERE

Instagram @paws_kuwait