Caring for the Canine Victims of October 7th
Hamas’ massacre in Israel resulted in the death of many dogs and left around 2,000 of them abandoned. Israelis came forward to rescue these animals and provide foster care for them.
In SHOKEDA, Israel, the massacres on Oct. 7 claimed over 1,200 Israeli lives, including several dogs that were among the casualties of the Hamas terrorists’ raid on Israel’s communities near Gaza that day.
Many other dogs were abandoned as their owners had to flee or evacuate following the attack. Approximately 2,000 dogs were left behind in the area in the days following Oct. 7.
One touching story includes a German shepherd named Sky, who returned to his owner after being fostered by Roni and Michal Gilo in Beit Hashmonai, a community near Ben Gurion International Airport outside Tel Aviv, for several months.
Eden Kogan, a former dog handler in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), aided in the rescue and reuniting of these animals as a form of social work post the Oct. 7 attacks.
Showing compassion similar to welcoming a foster child into a new home, Mr. Kogan made sure the transition back to Sky’s original family in Shokeda went smoothly for all parties involved—the Gilos, the Peretz family, and most importantly, Sky.
Through these heartwarming efforts, many dogs are finding their way to new homes and receiving the care they need after facing trauma and abandonment during the harrowing events of Oct. 7.
