April 02, 2007

Alone in the dark, cold underground, imagine how long were the seconds for Saybe. Having been mercilessly dumped 15 metres down in a cave-cum-well when just a pup, Saybe was trapped alive in that hole for a year and a half. How did she survive? Butchers used the site to dump animal carcasses, and as she chose to be a survivor, she was left with no choice but to eat scraps from corpses.

How did BETA (http://beta.beirut.com) learn about this unfortunate dog? Some caving people heard her barking – maybe calling for help in her own language- and thankfully they called us for the rescue.

Assisted by the Association Libanaise d'Etudes Spéléologiques - a local caving group, and the International Crisis Management for Animal Aid from Holland, after six hours and several sedatives, BETA brought the plump, ginger colored dog to the surface on March 24, 2007. She emerged confused and frightened into the land of the living.

The rescue efforts included a complex system of ropes to lower the rescuers and the equipment. As the rescuers were lowered down to the cave they landed in knee high remains of farm and animal waste, from which the dog was barely surviving on.

Down in this hole, the rescuers used a dart gun to sedate the dog, then put her in a cage and lifted her up to the surface without any complications. Saybe finally glimpsed daylight and had a taste of freedom from her living hell.

The name of the dog is currently under dispute, some are rooting for Saybe —which means 'never cared about' in Arabic. Saybe is undergoing treatment by a local vet. We hope Saybe will be adopted by a responsible family, as we wish all our dogs to move on too. Though Saybe spent a year and a half in the cave, she is very tame and loving. She was surrounded by 15 people, she never showed any sign of aggression, just astonishment from the so many new things around her; people, light, solid ground, clean air, good food and water, and simply Love. Her horrible past traumatized her somehow, every time a person approaches her, she turns and faces the wall, she was forgotten for so long that she is refusing communication with the outside world.

She longed for company all her life; one and a half years of hell are what Saybe has endured, knee high in farm animal remains, sat in darkness and fear!! Now she is rescued and is currently looking for a home, and more urgently a temporary boarding. Due to her tragic past, BETA sees that is best for her to be moved from vet clinic to a cozy home with loving parents as the shelter might be a bit stressful.

Please take a minute and forward this email around, let's all be part of Saybe s rescue, and find her loving parents/home.

Click Here to see more pictures from that rescue!

Please help beta save more animals which are in equally bad conditions, with your support we can help so many more. How to help?

Donate online at :• http://beta.beirut.com/donate.php
Adopt • a pet: http://beta.beirut.com/Adoption.php
Volunteer • with BETA : http://beta.beirut.com/howcanihelp.php

Give a dog a chance … Give Saybe some love!!

BETA Team