Horrified by an official campaign to kill strays, Saeed al-Err has made it his life’s work to care for cats and dogs in the city
The dog lay in the middle of Shuhada Street in Gaza City. It had been hit by a car. It looked around, uncertain and terrified, but barked fiercely whenever anyone tried to pick it up.
After a phone call, a man in jeans and a hoodie arrived. Without any fuss, he stepped out of the car, picked up the dog and took it away.
This was Saeed al-Err, the 50-year-old founder of Sulala Animal Rescue, Gaza’s first and only charity rescuing abandoned animals.
His shelter in Gaza City is home to more than 350 dogs. Another rented house in the city hosts about 40 cats, while 30 more are cared for at his home.
Err says he has always loved animals and would often take in strays. But a turning point came after seeing a Facebook post from one of Gaza’s municipalities, saying it would pay $3 (£2.30) for each dog killed in the area.
