CAIRO: Anyone who has traveled through countries such as Indonesia, Angola or Thailand will have seen the desperate state of thousands upon thousands of domesticated animals, which have long since been abandoned by their owners and shunned by society. It is a similar attitude taken by Egyptians towards these animals. Stray cats and dogs are seen across large parts of the country, and the capital city of Cairo is no exception. For many Egyptians, the animals are very often disregarded, simply because the people's own immediate problems always seem more important. “Cats here are rats,” a stable hand in the Pyramid street of Nazlet el-Seman in Cairo told Bikyamasr.com. “They eat rubbish, make mess and noise, and many are dirty,” he added. Here in Nazlet el-Seman, the dogs and cats emerge under cover of darkness, tearing through whatever refuse has been discarded. Many of these animals have owners, but a closer look at the horses who are let out at night reveal a saddening truth; even the domesticated animals, which the locals rely on are surviving off scraps. “During the revolution, tourism dropped and we did not have enough money to feed the horses,” a local man in Nazlet el-Seman told Bikyamasr.com. The months following the Egyptian Revolution were the hardest, according to reports published by the Egyptian Society for Mercy to Animals (ESMA). ESMA is a not-for-profit NGO, which was established by a private group of investors in reaction to the 2007 shooting of street dogs by the government. During this time a group of expatriates and locals decided to protect and rescue the animals that cannot protect themselves. Their presence in Nazlet el-Seman during the months that followed the revolution cannot be denied. According to ESMA's original report, the residents believe there are roughly 3,000 horses in the area and some 500 camels. Tourism is the main source of revenue for the people of this area and sadly, tourism had virtually vanished from Egypt. By the time ESMA had managed to come and see for themselves, horses and camels had already begun starving to death in droves. And so it began; 7 ESMA volunteers would regularly come down in trucks loaded with animal feed. The sheer number of horses in the area meant that food had to be rationed and prioritized. Often a horse would be turned away because even though it may have been ragged, it was still in ‘good condition' compared to many others. And then there was ‘the graveyard,' an open field where over 50 horse corpses had been found, amongst them young camels. “Many horses here … they die of hunger, they were so hungry and we could not feed them,” said Sayeed Abu Aziza, a stable master and member of one of the biggest families in Nazlet el Seman, to Bikyamasr.com. “We want change in Nazlet el Seman. We want more care for the horses, but we need tourists to come back for that.” Sayeed is a local Egyptian who has lived in the area with his family for generations. Over a cup of coffee overlooking the pyramids from the roof of a nearby home, Sayeed spoke of his fondness for the horses in his stable and his voice carried subtle tones of regret. The horse graveyard remained an unspoken topic, as the truth was easily seen in his eyes. The horse graveyard has since been cleared out, and the area is once again made available for riding. During a brief pass through the area, there were no signs of horse or camel cadavers, a hopeful sign of an improving situation. Through the conscious efforts of volunteers and generous donations, ESMA managed to help save the horses and camels of Nazlet el-Seman. They warn however, that this is not the end. “We, as a small organization with almost zero knowledge of equines, and very limited resources are unable to help these horses in the long term,” said Susie Nassar, a founding member of ESMA. “People are donating but it will never be enough to sustain the numbers and quantity of food needed.” And that does not take in to account the fact that it is only one area of Cairo, not to mention a national scale. The ESMA center currently holds 297 cats, 412 dogs and a few horses. Most of these animals were rescued off the streets, while others were left at the center by owners who could not stand the thought of throwing out their pets. As it currently stands, the sheer number of dogs means that every day roughly 150 kilograms of rice is consumed, along with 150 kilograms of meat and 100kg of dry food. “We are very often criticized by the media for taking on too many animals,” Mona Khalil, founding member of ESMA told Bikyamasr.com, and “it's true we have no space, and we are having a hard time coping, but we cannot deny an animal.” But they denied a number of animals last summer, saying they were in full capacity and were “taking care” of animals whose owners had left the country on vacation. Khalil, along with the other founding members, claim to know the names of every animal in their care. Another creeping criticism has been that the animals are better off being euthanized, rather than helped. Euthanasia is often cheaper than surgery, and the main attitude ESMA has faced in the past has been one of indifference for animals. ESMA will only under very limited circumstances, euthanize an animal. “If the animal has a chance to life, we will not take it from them,” Khalil said. “Most of our money comes from the founding members themselves, who contribute 60 percent of the total,” Khalil continued. It would be impossible for ESMA to continue expanding the way it has. What is needed is awareness and education throughout the population. Every cat or dog that finds itself in ESMA gets spayed or neutered, preventing the animal population from remaining unchecked. “We were approached once by the office of Social Affairs. They called us imperial Zionists and wanted police to keep an eye on us.” ESMA is located in the Giza, at the Villa El Bab El Ali on Sakkara tourist road. From there, they respond to the calls of anyone who needs it, and has fostered a good position with the local community. As they lead by example, the founders and volunteers of ESMA hope to inspire others around them to do their part. “It is amazing how many people are doing what we do,” said Khalil. “There aren't many organizations making active change, but there are always those locals that come out after dark to feed the neighboring cats and dogs.” Khalil mentions leftovers from restaurants and expressed her annoyance at their waste. “If you are going to throw the food out anyway, why not feed the strays? It is a small gesture, and it needs to be changed.” ESMA is now home to over 600 animals, and operates in a single area. Cities like Cairo are often overrun with stray cats and dogs, and they often rely on the generosity of strangers, as well as rubbish thrown out by residents and shops, to survive. These animals have no shelter or security, and many often fall ill and slowly die on the streets. ESMA's contribution to the country is a small drop in the bucket compared to the scale of this particular issue, but through their ever growing efforts, and raised awareness, more organizations and individual efforts may begin to arise. At the very least, hundreds of horse owners have ESMA to thank for preserving their livelihood, and hundreds more animals owe their lives to the registered animal charity. BM
