As violence continues to engulf Yemen, millions of people are suffering from food and medicine shortages, with more than 130,000 killed in the civil war.

But it is not just people who are suffering through what has been called the world’s worst man-made humanitarian crisis – the country’s animals are facing their own form of brutality, too.

In March 2020, as another wave of rockets struck Yemen’s capital Sanaa, more than 70 purebred Arabian horses were left for dead in the raided stables of the military college, the Ataa Initiative for Environment and Animal Welfare said.

Around 30 of the graceful creatures were wounded in the attack. Members of Ataa, a group founded just two months before, rushed to the horses’ rescue.

The group of animal lovers and a veterinarian have since tended to Sanaa’s animals, whether harmed by the ongoing civil war or abused.

“The initiative was created by ten animal-loving people in response to the increased violence against animals which are helpless and can’t defend themselves against abuse,” Zahra Haid, 29, founder of Ataa, told The National.

The group relies on its 3,500 followers on Facebook for reports of animals in distress.

“Once we get notifications of a suffering animal, we immediately visit it and provide treatment and care, under the guidance of our volunteering vet,” Zahra said.

Magdy Al Ameri, the initiative’s volunteering vet, said he has rescued around 90 animals from various injuries, not including those which did not make it.

“Traffic accidents and run over cats and dogs are the most common cases I deal with, almost daily, as well as cases of fractures and bleeding as a result of the animal being beaten with stones or a sharp tool,” said Dr Al Ameri. “This is in addition to performing some surgeries such as complex births and cases of animals which were directly shot.”

Zaher said the initiative raises awareness of the need for compassion towards animals, which she said is an “integral part of the Islamic faith”.

Negligence towards animals is a common practice in many countries in the Arab world as a result of lack of awareness.

Group member Arwa Gamal, 27, said the Facebook page is also used to look for homes to adopt stray puppies and kittens.

“Lately, we have been receiving increasing interest from our followers to take in kittens and puppies which we post about on our page,” she said. The group follows up on adopted animals to ensure they are taken care of.