Best Friends Animal Society and BETA: Helping Animals in Southern Lebanon

I had the privilege of speaking with Mr. Michael Mountain, President of Best Friends Animal Society while they were at the height of their work with Beirut for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (BETA), in the effort to airlift nearly 300 dogs and cats out of Beirut and into the U.S. to be placed in new homes.

Though this interview took place on August 28, 2006 and the animals were flown into the U.S. on September 25, 2006, I wanted to put up this interview because the work BETA is doing is on-going and needs to be spotlighted, and Best Friends Animal Society is an organization that every animal lover in the U.S. should be familiar with.

During the course of our conversation Mr. Mountain made me better aware of: who BETA is, what they're doing, what their small organization is up against, what conditions are really like for animals and pet owners in the Middle East right now, all of the ways that Best Friends is using their resources to help smaller humane groups all over the world, as well as animals in the U.S., and how concerned citizens can help.

I hope you enjoy reading this interview and if your heart is warmed by what these groups are doing visit http://www.bestfriends.org/ or http://www.network.bestfriends.org/ to learn how you can help.

Is the name of the campaign BETA and what does that stand for?

Mountain:Well, that's not actually the name of the campaign. That's the group in Beirut, Lebanon and their full name is Beirut for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. They are the only humane society, that we know of at least, in Lebanon, and the only one that they know of, so you can be very sure that they are the only one.