다니엘 에덴(Danielle Eden)은 동물구호단체인 ‘Dog Tales Rescue and Sanctuary’의 공동설립자다. 지금까지 전 세계를 돌며 수없이 많은 동물보호소를 다녀온 그는 지난 1월 이스라엘의 어느 동물보호소를 찾았다.
동물전문매체인 ‘도도’가 전한 바에 따르면, 당시 다니엘의 눈에 들어온 동물보호소는 매우 열악했다. 70마리 정도를 위해 설계된 공간에 250마리가 넘는 개들이 모여 살고 있었다. 심지어 개들만 살고 있던 것도 아니었다. 이 보호소에는 개보다 쥐가 많았다. “다니엘이 지금까지 보았던 동물보호소 중에서 가장 최악이었어요.” ‘Dog Tales Rescue and Sanctuary’의 대변인은 ‘도도’와의 인터뷰에서 이렇게 말했다. “그리고 개들은 빵 한 조각을 먹겠다고 서로 싸우고 있었어요.”
다니엘은 이 보호소에서 건강이 가장 안 좋은 개들을 캐나다로 데려가려고 했었다. 온타리오주에 이 단체가 운영하는 보호소가 있기 때문이다. 하지만 250마리가 넘는 개들을 만난 다니엘은 그들 중 몇몇을 선택할 수 없었다.
그래서 그녀는 이 보호소 전체를 자신이 인수하기로 결정했다.
'Dog Tales Rescue and Sanctuary’가 공개한 영상에 따르면, 인수과정은 2달에 걸쳐 이루어졌다. 90마리는 이스라엘의 다른 지역에 살 수 있도록 했고, 25마리는 온타리오주로 데려왔다. 그리고 150마리가 남았다. 이들은 현재 수의사에게 치료를 받는 중이다. 단체 측은 이스라엘에 남은 모든 개를 캐나다로 데려오는 게 목표라고 밝혔다.
먼저 캐나다에 온 25마리 중 절반은 이미 새로운 가족을 찾았다고 한다.
아래는 이 단체가 공개한 영상이다.
Israel Shelter ProjectWe would like to take a moment to fill everyone in on an enormous project that we have taken on here at Dog Tales. The creation of our entire shelter was inspired by four incredible dogs that were rescued from the streets of Israel. In honour of this, our founders regularly travel to Israel to find dogs in need and bring them back to Canada for a second chance at a happy life. On our trips to Israel we visit local shelters and work with the staff and volunteers to make lists of 10-20 dogs at a time to bring to our rescue. On these trips we look for the difficult cases- dogs that are senior, dogs that have disabilities, and dogs that have been waiting for a home the longest. Making these lists is gut wrenching , however it is usually quite clear which dogs need our help the most.Earlier in the year we were taken to a shelter in Israel that we had never been to before. The conditions were shocking. To say that the shelter was overcrowded is an understatement, with more than 250 dogs crammed into a space with the capacity for 70. There were as many as 6 dogs in each cage, all fighting over the loaves of bread that they were being fed. Rats were everywhere, and the dogs, most of whom had been there for years, were terrified. For once, it was not obvious to us which dogs needed us the most. They all needed us. We realized that it would be impossible to make a list deciding which dogs would be rescued from this horrific life, and which would be left behind. We then made the decision to acquire the entire shelter, and take responsibility for all 250+ dogs. In the past two months, 90 have been relocated within Israel to more adequate shelters. 25 have already made the trip to Canada. 150 remain. We have assembled a team in Israel to clean up the shelter and make the dogs more comfortable until we have the space to bring them here. While in Israel veterinarians will be caring for the dogs to address any immediate health concerns. Staff will be working with the dogs every day to socialize them and teach them to trust again. The dogs will no longer be eating bread. To help these dogs, we need your help. Every dog that is adopted from our rescue creates space for another of these dogs to be brought to Canada. If you are not in a position to adopt, please consider sharing our page with your friends and family. The most important thing that we can do for these, and for all of our dogs, is to share their story and be their voice.In our most recent photos of our new dogs, a popular comment was that the dogs appear sad. We would like to share a short video with you that illustrates the conditions that these dogs have lived in for years, and their journey to Canada. In time, with patience and with love, we know that their expressions will change.
Posted by Dog Tales Rescue and Sanctuary on Friday, February 26, 2016
