Houssein Hamze’s rescued dog pulls him out of bed in 2006 shortly before bomb attacks; abandoned animals he refuses to leave in Lebanon when war returns World News

One night, Houssein Hamze was sleeping at home when he was suddenly awakened by the sound of a dog barking. He stood up in panic to check on the dog, his first rescue pet, and moments later a bomb fell next to his home, and a piece of shrapnel landed where he had been sleeping. The attack was part of Israel’s 2006 war against Israel Hezbollah Hamz was seconds away from death. “I swear to God, he literally saved my life. Animals always have a sixth sense that we don’t have,” he told the Guardian.Twenty years and two wars later, the 57-year-old is still repaying his debt to the dog that saved his life. Shortly after his near-death experience, Hamz established Masala Shelter in the southern Lebanese village of Zeftah to care for the area’s animals. During normal times he took in stray animals, but during the war he was the only lifeline for the animals in the area.This donation-supported farm hosts a variety of rescue events. In addition to 200 dogs, Hamze also rescued two camels, horses, crows, chickens and geese. “This is Jamulla and her son Jamul. She is so cute. When I don’t come to see her for more than two days, she starts crying. When I come back, she puts her neck around me, like a hug,” he said of the two camels rescued from the Bekaa Valley last year.

wartime aid

Hamzeh was one of about 20 people who remained in the village when the last Hezbollah-Israel war started on March 2, 2026, forcing about a quarter of Lebanon’s population to flee their homes. Despite the ever-present risk of death from Israeli drones and airstrikes, he stayed to care for the animals. “Many people fled during the displacement and left their animals behind, and some of them tied up their animals. “We would go out, untie them, leave them water,” Hamz said, pointing to Lulu, a dog he rescued who lost a chunk of his tail in an airstrike and who he has cared for ever since. During the war, about 50 dogs came to the shelter alone in search of food.During the conflict, Hamz would cruise every day in his dilapidated truck, distributing dry food to abandoned dogs and livestock in villages in southern Lebanon. It’s not easy to handle work amidst attacks and tensions. He often has to travel long distances to carry water to dogs in remote areas. On several occasions, airstrikes hit a building near his workplace. At one point, he even stumbled upon the body of a man who had recently been hit by a drone strike. “By the end, all the dogs knew me. I would beep and they would come running,” he said.He shuttles between villages even as an Israeli drone hovers above him, monitoring his every move. He put the “Mashala” shelter sign on the roof of his car so drones could identify him. All because, with no sure bets, drones are regularly attacking people in the area, from Hezbollah fighters to medical personnel to his friends who are returning home to pick up their clothes. “I’m not worried about myself. I’m just worried about the animals. I kept thinking: If I die, who will take care of them? They’re going to get lost,” he said.

local celebrity

His work during the war made him a local celebrity. A video of him bravely feeding a dog from a drone went viral on the internet and sparked an outpouring of donations from around the world. But he is still very famous in the village. His farm is hard to find, but ask someone and they will guide you.Since a June ceasefire ended much of the fighting in Lebanon, life has returned to almost normal for Hamz and his animals at the sanctuary. Now he’s back to more mundane tasks, like repairing irrigation pipes chewed up by dogs and chasing animals to treat them for ticks.But as a human being, he’s still helping with rescue efforts. As displaced people returned to their homes, they began calling him to assist with animal rescues. “The aid is really not enough. But thank God we have passed the most dangerous period. I am alone and there is not a day where I can stop working and rest. I feel exhausted,” he said.For now, he hopes for a day when shelters are no longer needed and people value animals as much as humans. “Here’s the takeaway: If you don’t have empathy for animals, you won’t have empathy for humans. Trust me,” Hamz said.

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abandoned animals in lebanonanimal rescueanimal welfarecoal shedDisplaced animals lebanondogs save livesHezbollahhezbollah israel warHussein Hamzrescue dog