Meet the Syrian woman who sells her belongings to feed the cats and dogs she shelters

2^min

Alaa Abu Draa, a Syrian animals lover living in Damascus, shelters 120 cats and 20 dogs in her house.

Her passion for pets was born ten years ago, when she found an injured cat on the street and took it home, only to discover that the animal was pregnant.

She first decided to shelter her until delivery, but ended up keeping her and her kittens for good.

Unemployed, Abu Draa used to count on her late father to help her cover the expenses involved in caring for the animals. But since he passed away over a year ago, the 28-year-old decided to sell her furniture and belongings to feed her furry friends.

When the coronavirus crisis hit Syria in 2020, people in her city started to abandon their pets. Abu Draa decided to give them shelter, too.

"I sold everything. Nothing is left. You can see, I have no furniture," she said. "I feed them chicken leftovers."

Abu Draa added that she will continue to provide her animals with shelter and food for as long as she can afford it. Running out of things to sell, she is now also relying on donations.

Meet the Syrian woman who sells her belongings to feed the cats and dogs she shelters

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