3 min read People Are Actually Staying In A War Zone ... So They Can Save Animals

An ambulance driver in war-torn Syria became famous all over the world for his kind and simple act: feeding the cats who were left behind.

But he's not the only one.

Several images taken in the region reveal a terrible truth: Animals, too, can be victims of war.

Despite the turmoil and tragedy, animal lovers who formed the Syrian Association for Rescuing Animals (SARA) are working hard to rescue animals and form a long-standing organization and shelter dedicated to saving animals.

"We put the animals in our houses and dogs on a farm in Damascus," Tamara Safaya, of SARA, told The Dodo.

"We have more than 50 cats in three houses and more than 50 dogs on the farm and in our homes."

The people of SARA go out into the streets to feed the stray animals. They have also developed educational campaigns for kids, to teach them to love and not abuse the animals who live on the street.

"It's hard for us to work in this bad situation in Syria. It's not safe for us. It's hard to find adopters and donors, but we decided to stay here for them," Tamara said. "We are their last hope."

Another organization, Animals Syria, works to take some of the animals rescued by SARA and send them to Europe for adoption, Bishr, of Animals Syria, told The Dodo. "We're also paying vet bills on occasion for them," Bishr said.

To learn how you can help SARA, click here to visit its fundraising page. To learn how you can help Animals Syria, click here to visit its website.