Comments (0)Yom Kippur’s Donkey Problem
September 25, 2009Neil Rubin
Editor
Some might wonder about the fuss, but it’s no joke to animal rights advocates. Still, it’s definitely weird news.
So it is that we come to Yom Kippur and the donkey problem.
A group called Safe Haven For Donkeys in the Holy Land is looking for a little support this Jewish holiday season. The Israeli-based charity rescues abused and abandoned donkeys.
“Animals, big and small, are creatures of God and are helpless by nature. Even if you are Jewish or Christian, it has been taught in the Bible that God helps those who help others,” the group noted in a press release.
For the record, Safe Haven works in both Israel and the Palestinian territories.
Created in 2000 by former British Airways flight attendant Lucy Fensom, the group provides sanctuary to 110 rescued donkeys in the region. It also runs a mobile animal medical clinic to look after donkeys living on area farms.
“These animals are very much in use as beasts of burden in this country, particularly by those who are living below the poverty line and cannot afford mechanized transport. … Their owners quite simply could not survive without them,” notes the press release.
The remaining question: Does Donkey from the movie “Shrek” have anything to say about this?