Horror in a zoo located on the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. A young lioness was deprived of her claws to ensure that visitors and especially children could play with her without getting hurt
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves himHorror in a zoo located on the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. A young lioness has been stripped of her claws to make sure that visitors and especially children could play with her without hurting themselves.
A terrible act. The poor animal was amputated in his cage in front of everyone's eyes. It happened in recent days to the lioness Falestina, locked up in the Rafah zoo.
The attendants cut the feline's claws with shears after putting a shroud on her head, without any sedation but using only a tranquilizer to stun the animal and allow visitors to witness the macabre spectacle.
There are no veterinary hospitals in Gaza, so poor Falestina was deungulated directly in her cage.
The owner of the zoo, Mohammed Jumaa, has explained that the action was necessary to "reduce the lion's aggression" and make it "friendlier" towards visitors. As if the animal were a toy to be exhibited and used for the amusement of tourists.
Local veterinarian Fayez al-Haddad himself said it's not about cruelty because the zoo "wants to bring smiles to the children." And at the same time replenish the coffers of the park "which suffers from high expenses".
Animal rights activists who have called the gesture cruel are not of the same opinion. The lioness felt horrible pain.
"For big cats, claw removal is a particularly ferocious procedure that causes long-lasting damage."
Furthermore, natural gestures such as grabbing food or climbing will hardly be possible without the claws. There is also the risk that the amputation, not having been performed in a veterinary clinic, could cause an infection.
According to activists, removing a lion's claws is equivalent to amputating a human's fingers to the arms or shins.
Today, 49 animals live in the Rafah Zoo, most of them locked in tiny cages. Among them five lions, a hyena, several monkeys, wolves, emus, cats, dogs and exotic birds.
Since the zoo opened, many have already died from rocket attacks and battles. To the horror of war is added that of mutilations with the sole purpose of filling the coffers.
#BREAKING After weeks of tense negotiations it’s official: Our team will rescue 40+ animals suffering at Gaza’s most notorious zoo. The mission is extremely risky for our team, but we’re determined to save these animals. Will you help us? https://t.co/AvNHIwrrhe #SaveGazaAnimals pic.twitter.com/ujZ46OMyYI
- FOUR PAWS USA (@FOURPAWSUSA) March 22, 2019
UPDATE OF APRIL 1, 2019
The lioness Falestina, in spite of herself, is recovering and is better. She started playing with the children who visit the zoo. However, the vet warned that her claws will grow back after six months. Most likely, the poor animal will suffer the same torture again even if the animal welfare organizations are already on a war footing.
The association; Four Paws meanwhile is mobilizing to free; more than 40 animals suffering in Gaza's most famous zoo. For this he started a fundraiser to save some of the creatures trapped inside the zoo's walls.
If you want to contribute click here
READ also:
- The Swedish zoo that killed 9 lion cubs because they were redundant
- Juboraj: farewell to the skeletal lion of the Cominlla zoo
- The shocking pictures of the animals addicted to the zoo to take a selfie with the visitors
Francesca Mancuso
