The Daily Nightly began on May 31, 2005. As Brian wrote in his first post it aims to provide a narrative of the broadcast day and a window into the editorial process at NBC Nightly News. Brian weighs in every weekday and NBC News correspondents and producers post regularly.
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Roy Page, left, and Toby Springate, right, visit with four dogs they rescued and brought to the Beirut animal shelter. Photo by Julian Prictoe, NBC News.
Such a clichéd title for the tale I’m about to tell. Almost a year ago I found myself in New Orleans, covering Hurricane Katrina. It was the most heart-wrenching and emotionally disturbing assignment I have ever had.
In the terrible aftermath and weeks that followed, no matter how tired or dispirited our team got, they would come home to our make-shift camp, and rejoice in the companionship of three rescued critters: Katrina the kitten, Freeway the overgrown puppy, who was such a ham, and Storm, the pit bull pup that stole our hearts. We had become, over the weeks, a way station for all sorts, human and animal.
This month, I have been in Lebanon, covering the war, and now the tenuous cease-fire. During the fighting, we had an operation in Tyre, that most ancient of cities, in southern Lebanon. Yet again, as is always the case on these stories, we had a camp. NBC set up at the Rest House, a hotel that had seen better days even before the war hit.
We were there, along with the rest of the press corps, at the total mercy of the hotel "manager," possibly the most seedy, dodgy and slimy individual anyone could ever remember encountering. Our make-shift office was the abandoned dive shop at this ramshackle Mediterranean resort. Our satellite dish sat on the terrace, and our correspondent, producer, crew and engineer slept wherever they could, ate whatever we could send them and enjoyed a cold beer whenever they could find one.
Every day they went out into southern Lebanon and witnessed the awful, grim realities of war. And every night they would come back to base to the stray animals that lived in the beach sand and rubble and filth around the hotel.
I have often wondered over the years, why we in the press always seem to be rescuing animals. I have been asked, sometimes accusingly, whether I think animals matter more than people. I think it really boils down to size.
When you cover these tragic events, you can’t take it on. You can’t solve it. You can’t begin to stop it, and most times you can’t even make real sense of it. You are far from home, far from the kinder, quieter aspects of your life. And you bear witness to all the madness around you. Then, you find these small rays of light -- just a kitten or a puppy, that looks at you and you can help, so you do.
In the Middle East, the lot of any animal is a bad one. For dogs especially, the odds are really bad. Our four pups and their mom (who’s had her ears cut off, just for starters) lived, as near as we can tell, on the beach. We named them Mum, Spot-on-Nose, Scruffy, Blondie and Snooze. It was blisteringly hot on the sand, and the dogs would hunt for whatever shade they could, drinking fetid water and eating scraps.
The day that one hotel employee picked up a large umbrella stand and started hitting the pups while they were fast asleep (and I mean really hitting), the NBC team went ballistic. I will spare you the delicate exchange of words that was had, but suffice to say –- afterwards we became the official guardians of those pups and their mother!
When we closed our operation in Tyre, after the cease-fire had been announced, Roy Page and Toby Springate, a lovely British crew, knew what they had to do. Roy and Toby had become the official mentors of the lads. There was no doubt in their minds, or ours, that the five dogs would meet with a very untimely end the minute we departed the Rest House.
So Roy and Toby swung into action. They loaded up the family -- all the while our producers were scrambling to find a shelter for the hounds -- and headed north. So began their journey up to the only humane society in the entire country. Their first time in a car and not an "accident" between them!
Toby and Roy went to visit their charges in Beirut yesterday. They are settling in very nicely at BETA, the Beirut Ethical Treatment of Animals shelter in the hills above the city.
There we found Joelle El Massih and Helena Hesayne, gamely running the volunteer shelter -- one for dogs, and another for cats. The shelter has 160 dogs in it now, and the ladies have assured us that all have already got homes to go to in the U.S.A. So our rescued family will be going to good, caring homes where they will be loved. Roy and Toby are at the end of their assignment now, and they were quite misty-eyed when they came back in from their visit.
Photo caption: Roy Page plays with Spot-on-Nose, Scruffy, Blondie and Snooze at the Beirut Ethical Treatment of Animals shelter. Photo by Julian Prictoe, NBC News.
Twenty-five years ago, when I was a lot younger, I was here in Lebanon, covering the end of the civil war and the Israeli invasion.
A camera crew from London, Ken Ludlow and John Hall, rescued a small puppy in a city park. The park had been bombed, and the puppy had lived through it. His coat was still smoldering when the crew found him.
We named him Cease-fire, because at the time, they could never keep one. We did a piece on Cease-fire that morning, on the Today Show. He was adopted by a family in Seattle. NBC was there when he landed in Tacoma, Wash. I like to think Cease-fire had the best life, from his hard beginning. I know Toby and Roy want the same life for Mum, Spot-on-Nose, Scruffy, Blondie and Snooze.
Faces from the Gulf: Steven Smith
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Our Humane Duty to Animals. Blog story: Lebanons Dogs of War First, thank you to the NBC people for taking the time and having the heart to care. So, after reading this article, especially the line do you think animals matter more than people?, I thought to ...
Posted on Aug 24, 2006 1:06:22 PM at: Where Am I And Why?
i am very happy to hear that there are people like your organization who help all the animals in warzone places after all animals are part of lives and they derserve a second chance and be loved just as they show us uncondional love keep up the good work im an animal lover and i do anything to keep them safe
lorella fremantle western australia (Sent May 1, 2007 7:10:23 AM)
I don't understand how some of these people could actually get ugly over someone else's good deed. What they do in the way of good deeds is their choice. Complaints get you nowhere but upset, so if you don't like it then do something about it.
I can't stand to see homeless and abused animals, so I thought up a way of preventing it.
STEP UP TO THE PLATE PEOPLE!
(Sent Feb 26, 2007 2:51:21 PM)
How about focusing on the pets in the US who are homeless?
Ian (Sent Jan 24, 2007 4:54:54 PM)
Unfortuantely, some well-meaning, but ignorant rescue groups have Katrina dogs warehoused in runs one year later that have no hope for adoption because of severe aggression issues. I believe euthanasia is more humane than a life spent in a chain-link run with minimal social contact.
My local shelter is over-run with dogs that are being euthanized for no other reason than there are not enough homes to take them in. Now hundreds of dogs from Lebanon have been brought to my city for adoption. People are flocking to adopt them because of their story and their "exotic" heritage. I have volunteered over the years as a foster home, as a shelter worker, as a trainer to make these local dogs more adoptable. I quit.
K.H. Oklahoma City, OK (Sent Jan 10, 2007 7:26:18 AM)
How can we adopt an animal of Lebanon war? Please contact me.
Michelle Troxell Trumbull, CT (Sent Nov 23, 2006 1:25:16 PM)
I have been following this story on the Best Friends web site. While I aplaud them for saving these animals from a war torn country, at the same time I ask why they are not doing more for the animals STILL in dire need in New Orleans. We also need the media's help. You need to turn your cameras on New Orleans again and let people know that there's a huge problem down there that they can help with. So many people going back to rebuild are discovering that they have all they can do to take care of themselves; they can not take care of their pets any more. Friendly, healthy, extremely adoptable pets are being surendered to shelters in huge numbers. Because many people are in the same boat, adoptions from shelters are drasticly lower than before Katrina. When the shelters fill up, they have no choice but to put down animals (including puppies and kittens), often in barbaric gas chambers. They desperatly need shelters and rescue groups from elsewhere in the country to come down there and get these animals to families that can adopt them. And there are STILL storm orphans living on the streets. Katrina may be old news, but there is still a crying need down there that many don't know about. Before we bring more animals in from overseas, we need you to make people aware that there's still a problem down south, and do something about it! You want to adopt a war victim? There's plenty of hurricane victims down south to adopt!
Karen Pauli, Milwaukee, WI (Sent Nov 23, 2006 2:45:37 AM)
When I see, bombs being dropped on homes or on forests, I always think about all the animals, being killed or injured and it makes me so mad, and so sad.. When is the barbarism and stupidity of the human species going to stop!! When I hear of poisons like agent orange or others,dropped on forests or coca crops, do you think it affect only people?? Animals are sprayed with these poisons, and not only it destroys and pollutes our environment, but also, poison animals, water, soil. Imagine the terrible suffering all these animals are going through because of our evil doing! Also, if you want our pet population to go down, it is time to put an end to puppy mills! This kind of business is not allowed in western europe, why is it allowed in this country?? these puppymills are pure cruelties for all these animals. Time to wake up people and put pressure on your representatives!
Elisabeth Schneider, Cheyenne, wyoming. (Sent Nov 22, 2006 9:51:47 PM)
Regarding the e-mail from "Samia". What about the article lead you to believe that the team did not help people? Helping and caring about animals does not perclude helping and caring about people. Human hearts are big enough to do both. If a person appeared at an animal shelter needing help I KNOW that the volunteers would help them in an instant. Would the same be true if an animal appeared at a people-based shelter? Maybe not. Pets are truly at our mercy and our whim. No one would drag a child from its parents arms and leave it on the tarmac before they could fly to safety.
We must all do our part to help others in the world. If your heart tells you to help people, do it. If you are drawn to animals, help them. If everyone does a little bit to help, then we will all have a better place to live.
Gretchen, Goleta, CA. (Sent Nov 22, 2006 8:40:35 PM)
I am so grateful to everyone who has chosen to help the animals in need. We must remeber that animals have feelings too. Please let us know how we can adopt one of the adorable animals.
Jennifer Wood, Grove Hill, Alabama (Sent Nov 22, 2006 7:23:26 PM)
i am a lebanese citizen that adores dogs and i appereciateall your effort in this in this great work that you have done but my my whish that you would send me on my email as fast as you can the pictures of a white bright brown loulou dog about 3 years and has a problem in his right leg i would be very thank full for that i just wont to check for my lost dog plz. contect me as fast as you can.
lama joudieh, lebanon (Sent Oct 29, 2006 8:57:18 AM)
God bless all of you for helping these poor helpless
animals and not turning your back on them like so many people do.Animals are like little children they depend on us.
(Sent Oct 15, 2006 1:38:25 AM)
I've often wondered about the animals while watching the horrors of war unfold on T.V. I know many, many domestic and wild animals suffer anquish we cannot even imagine. They do not know what is the "reason" behind the pain inflicted on them. We could all learn by being kind, especially to an animal. If you care, please, please make a donation to these rescue groups. They work endlessly to end our beautiful, God given "friends" a chance to escape the horror of war.
Pamela Torgersen, Pembroke Pines, Florida (Sent Oct 4, 2006 6:11:16 PM)
Being one of the "low-income" families of New Orleans who didn't leave because "it wasn't going to be too bad" - I've got to say that we didn't leave, because we had 15 dogs. And there were many who didn't leave because they COULDN'T AND WOULDN'T LEAVE THEIR ANIMALS BEHIND. And in the end we had to all leave our animals behind. There are laws in Lousiana now where people can't grab puppies out of peoples arms and throw them on the ground and tell them to get on the bus.
I have heard so many stories about people and the dogs and cats they had to leave behind (or not) and I am proud and sad that they had to go through this.
And THEY DID GO THROUGH THIS.
There are many, many people out there who care for dogs and cats and birds and horses. Many. They don't get money for doing the things they do...they just do it. The Pet Rescue people were the first into New Orleans...they went in against the wishes of the Governor and the Mayor and just started working.
If you folks think that you can't see terror and confusion in the eyes of animals than you can't see it in the children either.
I'm happy to hear that they rescued the dogs.
Judy Lange, Shasta Lake (formerly New Orleans), California (Sent Oct 1, 2006 11:53:49 AM)
I am all for the animals on this planet. They have more compassion than most humans do. And for the idiots posting above that are for the humans and not animals, I hope you become poor & desperate & then see what its like to be kicked around. You need a lesson in compassion! It's people like us who go to heaven & its uncaring people like you who wind up in hell.
Everytime I receive a email from the various animal rights activists to sign this online protest or that & its sent to Congress I do. When PAWS sets up their tables outside of our local Stop&Shop asking for donations or food, I buy a bag of food for the cats & dogs (and the big ones, not the little ones).
Or put my change in one of the animal cans you see inside a local store asking for donations. It's not much, but its something.
I have seen animals abused. When Katrina happened, my first thought wasn't for the poor people in the low-income neighborhoods who were idiots to begin with because of their "its not going to be bad" attitude, it was for the animals who were left behind & desperate, frightened & hungry.
Tell me oh great ones that think the humans come first. If that was YOUR child left alone, how would you react? I thought so.
Cassandra, Westport, CT (Sent Sep 28, 2006 2:10:54 PM)
Bravo to all who gave these dogs a second chance...all creatures great & small deserve a chance at a quality life! :)
J.-PA (Sent Sep 28, 2006 12:18:10 PM)
Yes, we already have an inordinate number of homeless animals in the USA. But sometimes we need to help out elsewhere. Lebanon only has ONE shelter! How can they possibly cope without any help from us? And the publicity of this rescue is much needed to let the world know that there is a homeless animal problem worldwide. If this story even teaches just one person to be compassionate to animals, and even to help, isn't that a great thing? YES, it is!!!
The USA has soem pretty great animal rescue organizations. We can and should help other countries learn how to take care of their own homeless pets.
And how do we do that? By getting the word out!
I am not a religious person, but God bless these reporters for caring about animals! And better yet, doing something about it! How many of you on here complaining about the USA helping other country's animals have done something yourself? And no, it doesn't mean money, because not everyone can afford to. But how about volunteering at a local shelter or humane society? Fundraising? Rescuing a homeless animal? Even slowing down or stopping for a squirrel or animal in the road? All of those or free!
So quit complaining and do something about it!
Not only will the animals benefit, but so will you!!
Jake Hodie, Aspen, CO (Sent Sep 28, 2006 2:47:41 AM)
This is a story about animals, not humans! I can't believe "Samia from Bellevue" is jealous of the help these poor creatures are getting!! NBC has shown nothing but compassion for the human victims of the war and the hurricanes. What makes them superior to "Samia" is that they do not limit their compassion to humans alone. Bravo NBC, keep up the great work!!
Rachel Cummings, Strongsville, Ohio (Sent Sep 27, 2006 1:52:22 PM)
NBC has done the best coverage of the animals of war. Thank you for giving them so much time and consideration on your news programs and on your website. These creatures are truly the most innocent in situations like this because, they did not choose to be involved in a war and, unlike humans, they cannot ask for help. Please continue to follow their story. Thank you!!
Jo Ann Matese, North Royalton, Ohio (Sent Sep 27, 2006 12:14:11 PM)
You did not even spare the cats and dogs????? what about the homeless babies, women and men?? May your compassion increase for 'people' more than for 'animals', because I see a difference!
~Samia, Bellevue, Washington (Sent Sep 27, 2006 9:54:15 AM)
Who are we and what does it say about us, if, when faced with the ability to help a helpless soul, we turn away and do nothing?
Yes, in the U.S. we have a problem with animal control, but have we lost the ability to see that helping even the smallest of the small and the most helpless of animals means that we as a compassionate people are not lost, in spite of what our government continues to do around the world in our name.
To walk away, to ignore, to fail to act when not asked or watched from the plight of those less fortunate, makes us no better than those that are extreme on any level.
Julie DePuydt (Sent Sep 26, 2006 9:48:23 PM)
Its good to care but y bring them here when we have soooo many here with no hope for being adopted!, and are eventually put to sleep in a "humane"! way. Gimme a break take care of the ones here b4 u start bringing any here. I cant believe how stupid do- gooders can be. Is this so owners can say "Hey I got a dog from the war how cool is that"? so many idiots in this world it makes me sick. Feed a child instead of a dam dog!
(Sent Sep 26, 2006 4:09:43 PM)
Thank you for helping to rescue these poor cats and dogs of war. It is true that there are many homeless pets here in the USA. I am a volunteer for Beagle Rescue in Northern California and I have two foster dogs right now looking for homes. But we can't just turn our back on animals, even if they are around the world. It is our job as humans to protect the animals where we can. If everyone cared like the MSNBC crew, more good would happen in the world! THANK YOU!
Judy Barnhart, San Jose, CA USA (Sent Sep 26, 2006 12:09:51 PM)
I am an animal lover and I am so glad that finally the ones who cannot help themselves is being taken care of. It is about time people start to think about dogs, cats etc when things like war, weather etc happens. And they are not left to die and aganizing death. People can always find shelter and assistance, but animals cannot. Keep up the good work. A goal of mine is to maybe some day, be where I can have a place, a shelter where displaced owners and their animals can come and not be seperated. I've been seperated from mine now for almost 6 months due to financial, but I have managed to keep them, except for one I lost to death, a 12 and a half year old rottie male, I still have a 12 and half year old German Sheperd female and 3 younger dogs and my late father's cat.
barbara, nashville, tn (Sent Sep 26, 2006 11:40:07 AM)
With this world up to its "eyebrows" in all the fury that Mother Nature and man can throw out - it is so comforting to know that compassion can still shine on even the smallest and weakest of creatures. Good on you NBC & crew!!!!
(Sent Sep 26, 2006 11:14:48 AM)
There's always room for one more. . . it doesn't matter where they came from. .as far as I'm concerned.
Thank you all!!
(Sent Sep 26, 2006 11:05:20 AM)
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