Last night I posted about the second fire at the Animal Friends shelter and I now just gotthis email which they sent out on their mailing list that contains more information on the fire and on how you can help:

There has been a second much more devastating fire at Animal Friends. This fire was in the main building and 39 animals perished. Several more are struggling to hold on.

Two fire investigations have shown that the fires were caused by a surge of electricity from the main lines. After the first fire, an inspection of the shelter elecrical system was conducted and smoke detectors and fire extinguishers were puchased and donated enmasse. Despite these precautions, a massive surge occured to the now weakened main electrical lines. All staff were sleeping nearby when the fire started. The fire was not discovered until aerosol cans near the source of the fire began to explode. At this point, the fire was fully involved and too dangerous for anyone but the fire department to fight. Our shelter staff acted herroically to save as many animals as possible, and the fire rescue team also showed great courage as they entered the building to release the dogs from their firey prisons while the fire was still burning. Despite these acts of bravery, at least ten animals died in the fire and many were so badly injured that the arriving shelter staff had to work frantically and desperately to triage them and provide euthanasia where necessary. Thus far, the fire has cost the lives of 8 dogs and 31 cats.

One whole section of the shelter is completely destroyed the entire building will require extensive repairs from smoke and fire damage. Animal Friends and the animals we care for have never needed your help more. Animal Friends simply will not survive without help from all of you. Below is a list of things we need in order of priority.

1. CASH! The rebuilding is going to cost KD50,000. Please donate what you can, hold small fundraisers and get as many people involved as possible. Checks should be made payable to: Ayeshah Waleed Al-Humaidhi and below is our bank information for a direct transfer. If you need further information please call 97377867 or e-mail info@animalfriendskuwait.org.

Bank Name: Bank of Kuwait and the Middle East (BKME)
Branch: South Surra
Name: Ayeshah Waleed Al-Humaidhi
Address Line 1: P.O.Box 71, Safat 13001
Address Line 2: Kuwait
Account: 42043311
SWIFT: BKMEKWKW

2. Foster Homes. We have no shelter and currently have the animals housed at the Royal Animal Hospital and in outdoor enclosures at the shelter. These are obviously temporary fixes. The construction is going to take about 3 months and we are appealing to all of you to house an animal until it can be adopted or returned to the rebuilt shelter. If you are able to foster an animal please call 66187301 or e-mail anna_mitchell@shaw.ca.

3. Volunteers. We need help with clean-up and helping care for the animals. We need to salvage anything and everything we can from the building before the demolition starts. This weekend, Friday-Saturday (26-27) are going to be huge clean-up days. Your help would be hugely appreciated. The map will be uploaded to the website shortly.

4. In Kind Donations. We will be putting together an extensive list of items we need in the next few days and will send it out to the list as well as post to our website.

Thank you in advance for your help and support and we hope to rise out of the ashes bigger and better.

Just 10 days ago I posted that the staff building at the Animal Friends shelter caught fire and today I found out that last night there was another bigger fire that engulfed the main animal shelter this time killing 30 cats, 3 dogs and 4 puppies. Two fires in 10 days, it sounds very suspicious but they’re saying both were electrical fires. It’s very sad that some animals died but many more were rescued and are currently being held at the Royal Animal Hospital next to the Friday Market. I’m curious to why they were not placed at the International Veterinarian Hospital (IVH) which is A LOT closer than RAH since it’s located right before Wafra.

They’re now in need of more help and donations than ever so please if you can spare some time they desperately need volunteers tomorrow to help box all items that have not been fire damaged so it can be moved to storage while the shelter is rebuilt. If you are able to help, please call Olivia on 97377867.

If you can donate some money here is the bank account information:

Bank Name: Bank of Kuwait and the Middle East (BKME)
Branch: South Surra
Name: Ayeshah Waleed Al-Humaidhi
Address Line 1: P.O.Box 71, Safat 13001
Address Line 2: Kuwait
Account: 42043311
SWIFT: BKMEKWKW

Here is a link to their Facebook group where I’m getting all their updates. [Link] and here is a link to their website. [Link]

Update: Here are some pictures of the damage which were taken by Areej Al Sultan

I just read the following on the Animal Friends Facebook group:

Ayeshah Al-Humaidhi said: Woke up to call that the staff building at the shelter was on fire. No one was hurt and all animals were unharmed but we lost a portion of the building. Four of our staff have lost everything except the clothes on their back and most of the bedding for the animals also burned. We are needing donations of cash for repairs, mens clothes in S/M/L and towels/blankets for the animals.

If you can help out with a donation follow this [Link]

Registration is now open for entry into the fifth annual dog show. The show will take place in the beautiful gardens of the British Embassy on Friday March 5th from 11AM to 4PM. I’ve been to their first and second annual dog show and it was a lot of fun. I only missed out on the other two because I was out of the country. It’s very well organized and it’s really great having an event like this in Kuwait. I always sign up my dog to the different categories and even though he always ends failing miserably we still have a really good time. Here is a link to pictures I took at their first annual dog show back in 2006 when my dog was still just a puppy then. [Link]

For more information on the dog show and all the proper forms needed visit the PAWS blog [Here]

Please note that even if you are not entering a dog in the show and just want to go to the event to hang out, you still have to pre-register because it’s being held at the British Embassy. You can’t just show up at the gate and walk in, you need to be pre-registered to be let in.

Animal Friends and K’S PATH will be hosting its bi-annual Shelter Open Day where everyone is invited to come out, visit with the animals and learn all about their rescue and care. Visitors will be able to walk the dogs, cuddle the cats, play with the puppies, brush the donkeys, watch the baboons and so much more. The weather is beautiful, so come and make a day of it.

When: Friday 29 January, 2010, 11:00am to 3pm
Where: Animal Friends Shelter and K’S PATH sanctuary in Wafra
Cost: Free, although we certainly appreciate donations
Notes: Please leave your own pets at home and refreshments will be available for sale.

Huge Yard Sale — antiques, collectibles, book worm’s treasure trove, gently used infant clothing and toys, gently used adult clothes and shoes, Indonesian teak furniture, home wares, gourmet kitchen gadgets, dishes, pots and pans and so much more. Come on over and rummage through the goods and you might find a treasure. All funds will go to support Animal Friends.

When: Saturday 6 February, 2010, 10:00am to 3pm
Where: Fintas, Block 4, Street 11, House 29
Notes: Refreshments will be available for sale.

A reader found this dog wondering aimlessly in Mishref yesterday. She has a collar with her name on it. If this is your dog please [Email Me]

*I just updated this post with another dog that went missing yesterday*

I got this from a reader, if anyone spots the dog please call them:

This is Papsy (Breed:German Spitz with a red and black harness). My parents were strolling with her by Marina Mall today 8 and were attacked by two big without a leash-on dogs. My mom fell (fractured her right arm) and let loose her leash by mistake. The two dogs chased and scared Papsy away. My parents have been searching for her frantically all day by Marina Mall area. There are still there. Please help us find her. if you have any information, please call us on 99575828 or 25632613.

I got the following email today:

Our dog is lost in Jabriya. His name is Snowy and he is a Maltese male around 5 yrs old. He had no leash on him when he escaped from our house accidently. Please contact me on the following numbers 99871650 or 66695462. I’m offering a KD150 reward to anyone that finds him.

Update: Snowy was found.

Animal Friends just launched their new redesigned website. You can check it out by clicking [Here]

A reader found a dog with a collar in Abdulla Alsalem area today at around 2pm. If dog in the picture above is yours then you can contact Dalal on [email removed]

It wasn’t very upsetting for me to watch but Nat isn’t going to eat fish ever again so don’t watch this if you get grossed out easily. [YouTube]

The craziest thing I’ve ever seen, it has to be the coolest goat in the world so make sure you watch the video till the end. [YouTube]

via Nibaq

I found this funny although if it happened to my dog I would also be pissed and sue:

In what must rank as one of the most bizarre lawsuits ever filed against an oil and gas company, it has been reported that Saudi Aramco are being sued for US$267,000 for allegedly causing the death of a female camel that had taken part in a beauty pageant in the KSA.

The attractive three year-old black camel died in tragic circumstances after she fell into a hole in the desert that the Saudi hydrocarbons giant had dug and filled with crude oil.

Her heartbroken owner, Abdullah Al-Saiari, had entered the animal into the Camel Beauty Contest, a hotly contested event that attracts camel breeders from all over the KSA to show off their most eye-catching beasts.

The case is currently being brought before the court in Saudi Arabia.

[Source]

via Desert Girl