Dear supporters,
The new year is here and the work continues with tireless efforts. You may recall our work with Oumnia, a Lebanese organization that works with children with 'special needs' & presided by Mrs. Nayla Aoun. Because of the success this program has had, our team and Oumnia will continue in providing Zootherapy to children that benefit from it by following up the improvement of last year's children therapy & introducing our loving animals to new comers in OUMNIA. Our Progress With Oumnia
Pooch, one of our rescues was a companion to these children and they loved him dearly because his warmth and affection was a great comfort. Pooch was badly injured himself due to a car accident that fractured his spinal cord & left him crawling on the streets for days. After his rescue our team was able to make him a wheelchair that helped him to recover after much therapy & efforts. Back to being a 4 legged dog, Pooch was successfully adopted into a loving home in 2009 in Canada. This year, we introduced the children to Rocco, a 7 year old West Highland Terrier who unfortunately lost his owner. Rocco is the new happiness these kids have and wait eagerly for their weekly session which consists of doggie kisses and beautiful smiles.
Seeing how our work, an idea never before introduced in Lebanon, changed the way kids and parents perceive and feel about animals, we expanded our work with more kids with special needs and familiarize them with some of our dogs who could help and make a difference in their lives. So, this is where Aida was thought to be the best dog to work with the MAJAL Association, a branch of B.A.S.D. (Beirut Association for Social Development), an association for Teens & Adults with special needs, presided by Mr. Saleh Farroukh & coordinator Esther Bou Antoun.
Aida's story is special too. She was hit by a car & left to die on the side of the road a year ago but luckily she was rescued by a loving man who saved her from the pain and agony. One look in her eyes makes the world understand what holding on to life is all about. After examinations and X-rays, she underwent her first surgery but with no luck standing up on her own. Seeing that she had movement in her hind legs but was not able to stand on four feet, we took her for an MRI which showed major damage to the spinal cord, nevertheless together with Dr. Elias Nicolas from the Animal House Hospital, we were encouraged to give Aida another chance and perform surgery on the compressed spinal cord called a Laminectomy & miraculously Aida stood up twice for the span of ten seconds since her last surgery. Sweet & thankful, she's been re-educated through water massages & the loving help of our team. Lately we were able to build her a wheelchair with which she's getting back self assurance & muscle strengthening. Click here to watch the video
Aida is currently boarding with a Beta member in the hopes that one day she will recover fully.
With a promising new year we wish that all of you encourage the 'Holding Paws Year' & get our world into accepting our friends the animals as part of our daily positive & healthy lives.
DONATE TODAY and help us continue our work in Lebanon because without you it's not possible.
As always, thank you for all that you do for the animals.
Sincerely,
The BETA Team
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