Article Summary –
Maad Abu-Ghazalah, a Palestinian who moved to the US and made money in Silicon Valley, founded Daily Hugz, a sanctuary for dogs in the West Bank in 2014 as a way to give back to his homeland. However, recent conditions in the West Bank, including restricted travel and rising goods prices, led to the closure of the sanctuary. In response, Abu-Ghazalah coordinated with SPCA International and other organizations to carry out the largest international evacuation of dogs in US history, with 70 dogs transported to seven US states.
West Bank Dog Rescue and Rehoming Initiative by Silicon Valley Entrepreneur
10 years ago, Maad Abu-Ghazalah, a Palestinian who prospered in Silicon Valley, contemplated on how he could support his homeland, the West Bank. In 2014, he created a sanctuary named Daily Hugz, which rescued and provided shelter for the plentiful feral dogs in Palestine.
Abu-Ghazalah emphasized teaching compassion to children by showing them how to care for weaker beings, through his shelter.
However, the recent Israel-Hamas conflict worsened conditions in the West Bank. Israeli Defense Forces imposed travel restrictions, inflating the cost of pet food and medicine and inhibiting Abu-Ghazalah’s frequent visits to the shelter. This ultimately led to the closure of Daily Hugz.
Recognizing the need to relocate the dogs, Abu-Ghazalah contacted the New York-based SPCA International who organized an international aid culminating in the largest dog evacuation operation in American history. The dogs were taken from Daily Hugz and transported to rescue groups in seven U.S. states. Wings of Rescue and Race for Life Rescue, two air rescue nonprofits, assisted with the operations once the dogs arrived in the United States.
The dogs have now been transported to their final destinations and are being prepared for adoption. Abu-Ghazalah, despite residing in North Carolina, personally took in four of the dogs.
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