More than 700 dogs may have to be put down by British shelter

A British-run dog shelter in Iraq is facing euthanising 700 animals as the government orders them to pack up and move.

War Paws in Erbil, in the north of the country, cares for 130 stray dogs inside the shelter walls and around 700 on the outside.

Staff have battled through extreme heat, no power or running water, and now watch as drones are intercepted above them.

CEO Louise Hastie, 53, told Metro: ‘We have had nine of 10 explosions above us just this morning.’

Iraq is the only country to have its airspace completely closed since the US and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury on February 28.

This has left staff, who alternate time spent in the UK and Iraq, stranded at the shelter, with no flights coming or going.

Louise said: ‘What started as a two-week trip has turned into a five-week stay. But even if I was able to leave, I couldn’t face leaving my team and the dogs.’

The shelter has been running since 2018, spaying and neutering hundreds of animals, including donkeys and cats, while providing shelter from the extreme heat and regular food.

But now the Iraqi government has told them they need the land for ‘warehouses’. It is unclear what they will be used for.

It will cost the shelter USD$300,000 to move and rebuild from scratch, which equals their average yearly running cost.

‘We have been here for six years, we logistically cannot move,’ Louise said.

‘If we are forced to, we are looking at having to put down 700 dogs as they are unable to live as strays in the area.’

Louise, originally from Wednesbury in the West Midlands, arrived at the shelter, which was originally set up by two local women, and was shocked at what she saw.

She said there was no shade, no water, and scorpions covering the ground.

‘It broke me walking through for the first time,’ she said. ‘Dogs dropped dead at my feet as I walked past them.’

With the help of her team, she managed to set up a vet clinic to neuter the animals, bring water tanks, and even build swimming pools to protect the dogs from the extreme heat.

But if forced to leave, the animals will not be able to survive on their own.

‘We are looking at a situation where they will likely starve to death,’ Louise said. ‘So it would be kinder to put them down.’

Before the shelter existed, the animals would survive on spare meat dumped by butchers at the landfill site nearby.

This has since also been taken over by warehouses.

Louise said: ‘I’m at my wits’ end, and it’s only going to get worse. People’s donation habits have changed ever since the cost-of-living crisis as well meaning we don’t get as much as we used to.

‘But we won’t give up. We are here for a reason.’

You can donate to the shelter here.

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