The Catman of Aleppo

You may have seen reports about the ‘Catman of Aleppo’ on social media or in the news. He’s Mohammad Alaa Aljaleel, and his story is both heart-warming and, at times, heart-breaking.

This amazing man (and the small team around him), is dedicated to rescuing and helping not only cats, but other animals and children caught up in the war in Aleppo, Syria. Originally working as an electrician before the war began, he had the chance to flee, but decided to stay and help civilians and animals caught up in the conflict. Sadly, many pets were left behind as people fled the area.

He dreamed of creating a refuge, and through social media set up pages and built a worldwide following. People supported him through donations, enabling him to build a sanctuary for the cats, and a playground for local children, bringing some much-needed joy into their lives.

Amazingly, he continued to work as an ambulance driver and first responder during the bombardment of Aleppo. He was able to feed the animals by storing food and drawing water from a well. Sadly, shortly before the evacuation of Aleppo, the sanctuary was bombed, and lots of the cats were killed. Alaa had to leave in his ambulance, together with sick, elderly and disabled residents as well as surviving cats, for the Syrian-Turkish border.

With continued support, he created a new animal sanctuary called Ernestos Paradise. 200 cats are now live there, as well as four monkeys, a horse, doves, rabbits and dogs. Another children’s playground is now also established. A veterinary clinic and qualified vet offer free support for the animals owned by residents of the local area, and spaying and neutering is encouraged. Child refugees and orphans are also being helped.

(Image courtesy of ernestosanctuary.org)

Syria is still in turmoil, but Alaa continues his mission to help improve the lives of the forgotten victims of the war and to improve their lives. As Alaa says, “I regard animals and humans in the same light. All of them suffer pain, and all of them deserve compassion”.

What an amazing man.

Read more about Alaa’s work here: https://ernestosanctuary.org/

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