A dog saved Houssein Hamze from a bomb. When war returned, he stayed to care for Lebanon’s animals | Lebanon

D.During Israel’s war against Hezbollah in 2006, Hussein Hamze was awakened one night by the sound of barking. Panicking, she stood up to check on the dog, her first rescued pet. A few minutes later a bomb fell near his house and a piece of shrapnel fell right where he was sleeping.

Hamze said, “I swear, he really saved me from death. Animals always have a sixth sense that we do not have.”

Two decades and two wars later, the 57-year-old is still paying his debt to the dog that saved his life.

Shortly after his near-death experience, Hamze mashala He took refuge in the village of Zefta in southern Lebanon to take care of the animals in the area. In normal times it welcomes stray animals, and in times of war it is the only lifeline for animals in the area.

The other morning, Hamze was walking around the small farm where the shelter is located, checking the fig trees, while a row of dogs followed behind him, their ears pricking up with every movement. Last year he opened an enclosure where two camels rescued from the Bekaa valley stand among chickens and geese.

“This is Jamoola and her son, Jamool. He’s so sweet. When I don’t visit for more than two days, he starts crying. When I come back, he wraps his neck around me, as if he’s hugging me,” said Hamze, as the camel placed its head on his lap, scratching his nose behind his ears. Jamool, the still-nursing calf, hid his face behind his mother’s back.

The donation-supported farm is home to an eclectic rescue collection. Approximately 200 dogs, some missing ears or tails, gnawed on donated chicken feet, while horses neighed at guests at the entrance. While chickens ran between the camels’ legs, geese patrolled around their enclosures. A small flock of ravens flew in circles across the farm’s wooded valley, never straying too far from the shade in the intense summer heat.

Hamze was one of about 20 people who remained in his village during the last Hezbollah-Israeli war, which started on March 2, 2026, when about a quarter of Lebanon’s population was forced to flee their homes. He remained there to care for the animals despite the constant risk of death from Israeli drones and air strikes.

“Many people ran away and left their animals behind. Some left their animals tied. We would go out and untie them and leave them water,” Hamze said. He pointed to the dog he saved, named Lulu, who lost part of her tail in an air raid and has been caring for him ever since. During the war, approximately 50 dogs came to the shelter alone in search of food.

During the conflict, Hamze drove around every day in his old truck, distributing dry food to abandoned dogs and animals in the villages of southern Lebanon. It was not an easy job: food was hard to come by, and he often had to carry water cans long distances to dogs in more remote areas. Several air strikes hit the building next to where he worked. During his feeding tours, Hamze came across the body of a man who had recently been shot by a drone attack.

“Finally all the dogs knew me. I would beep and they would come running,” he said.

Hamzeh was traveling between villages despite an Israeli drone hovering overhead, watching his every move. He stuck a “Mashala” animal sanctuary sign on the roof of the car so the drone could identify it, but it still wasn’t a sure bet. Drones regularly attacked people in the area, from Hezbollah fighters to medics to a man and his friend returning from their homes to collect clothes.

Hamze said, “I wasn’t afraid for myself. I was only afraid for the animals. I thought, if I die, who will take care of them? They will disappear.”

Despite his courage, Hamze made silent preparations in case he was killed. Fearing that if he died, they would not be able to survive on their own, unlike dogs, he sent eight donkeys to a shelter in Beirut. He used to send camels and horses too, but he couldn’t fit them in the truck.

Life has almost returned to normal for Hamze and the animals living in his sanctuary since a ceasefire in June ended most of Lebanon’s fighting. Artillery sounds are now coming from further away; no longer triggers a series of angry barks. Hamze is now busy with more mundane tasks: repairing irrigation pipes chewed by dogs and treating animals for ticks by chasing them with a syringe.

His work during the war made him a minor celebrity in Lebanon. Videos of him defying drones to feed dogs went viral, prompting an outpouring of donations. With the war no longer in the headlines, donations are slowly drying up.

Hamze is still famous in the village. His farm is hard to find, but everyone in the area knows him. A shepherd on the road said, “Continue along the road and turn left. Say hello to Hüseyin.”

Hamze said more work than ever was being done as displaced people began calling on him to return to their homes and help rescue animals. Scrolling through his WhatsApp, he estimated he receives around 500 messages and calls a day reporting animals needing help.

“The aid is really not enough. But thank God, we have overcome the most dangerous period. I was alone, there was not even a day when I could stop working and rest. I felt completely exhausted,” he said.

Hamze said that he hopes that one day there will be no need for shelters and that people will value animals as much as humans. Maybe if the sanctity of life was properly respected, he thought, people would stop fighting.

“The bottom line is this: If you don’t have compassion for animals, you won’t have compassion for people either. Believe me,” Hamze said, before placing a kiss on Jamoola’s outstretched head.