Animal Welfare in Lebanon

Lebanon's compounding crises — financial collapse, the 2020 Beirut port explosion, political dysfunction, regional conflict spillovers, and mass emigration — have created a catastrophic environment for both humans and animals. Yet Lebanon's animal welfare civil society, rooted in Beirut's historically cosmopolitan culture, has shown remarkable resilience. Understanding Lebanese animal welfare means grappling with how systemic human crisis cascades into animal suffering — and how dedicated advocates work amid impossible conditions.

Country Context

Lebanon's population of approximately 5.5 million (plus 1.5+ million Syrian refugees and hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees) is navigating one of the worst economic collapses in modern history. The Lebanese pound has lost over 95% of its value since 2019. Unemployment exceeds 30%, fuel shortages are chronic, and electricity supply averages only a few hours per day in many areas. This context is essential for understanding animal welfare — when humans struggle to afford food, animals face acute neglect and abandonment.

Lebanon at a Glance:

Crisis Impacts on Animals

The convergence of Lebanon's crises has produced predictable but severe animal welfare consequences across every sector.

Companion Animal Abandonment: Mass emigration and economic desperation have led to widespread companion animal abandonment in Lebanon. Families unable to afford pet food or veterinary care, or forced to leave the country rapidly, have abandoned cats and dogs at alarming rates. Animal shelters — already under-resourced — became overwhelmed from 2019 onward. Social media communities organized emergency fostering networks as formal shelter capacity collapsed.
Beirut Explosion Animal Victims: The August 2020 Beirut port explosion — one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history — killed and injured unknown numbers of animals alongside human casualties. Pets were trapped in rubble, animals at the Beirut port area were killed or displaced, and the destruction of the port's cold storage caused food supply disruptions affecting human and animal feeding. Animal welfare volunteers worked alongside human rescue teams in the immediate aftermath.
Zoo and Sanctuary Crisis: Lebanon's private zoo sector — historically poorly regulated — faced catastrophic conditions during the economic crisis. Animals at private facilities went without adequate food and veterinary care as operators ran out of funds. International rescue campaigns — including high-profile cases involving lions and other exotic animals at private facilities — drew global media attention. Four Paws International conducted multiple rescue operations removing animals from failing Lebanese facilities.
Veterinary Supply Collapse: Import-dependent veterinary medicine supplies became unavailable or unaffordably expensive as the currency collapsed. Vets struggled to maintain basic practices; vaccines, antibiotics, and anesthetic agents ran out. This affected both companion animal care and the livestock sector.

Wildlife Trafficking

Lebanon has historically been a transit and destination country for illegal wildlife — exotic birds, reptiles, and mammals sold in markets or kept as status symbols. The Souk el Ahad market in Beirut was notorious for illegal wildlife sales. While authorities have conducted occasional raids, enforcement is inconsistent and politically constrained.

Animals Lebanon: The organization Animals Lebanon has been the primary force for wildlife confiscation and rehabilitation in the country, working closely with customs authorities and international partners to intercept trafficked wildlife and rescue animals from illegal captivity. Their work has been sustained through international donations even as the Lebanese economy collapsed.

Farm Animal Welfare

Lebanon's small agricultural sector — operating in a country where most food is imported — faces welfare challenges exacerbated by the crisis. Small-scale poultry and dairy operations near urban centers provide some domestic food production. Economic pressure has reduced feed quality and veterinary care access across the sector. Slaughter practices are not systematically regulated for welfare standards.

Civil Society Resilience

Despite everything, Lebanon's animal welfare civil society — rooted in Beirut's historically educated, internationally connected middle class — has demonstrated extraordinary resilience. Organizations including BETA (Beirut for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), Animals Lebanon, the Lebanese SPCA, and dozens of smaller rescue groups have maintained operations through economic collapse, explosion aftermath, and ongoing instability.

Diaspora Funding: Like Venezuela, Lebanon's large diaspora (estimated 4-15 million Lebanese abroad) provides crucial financial support to domestic animal welfare organizations. International campaigns have raised funds specifically for Lebanese animal welfare during crisis periods, enabling organizations to continue operations when local donations collapsed with the economy.
International Rescue Networks: Four Paws, Humane Society International, and smaller international groups have coordinated animal rescues from Lebanon — removing animals from failing private zoos, facilitating emergency adoption of pets whose owners emigrated, and providing veterinary support during acute crises.

Legislative Framework

Lebanon's animal welfare law (Law 47 of 2017) established some basic provisions against cruelty and created a framework for animal welfare enforcement. However, implementation has been minimal — the law's requirements for licensing and regulation of animal facilities have not been operationalized, enforcement capacity is absent, and the economic crisis has completely consumed government attention and resources.

Pathways Forward

Lebanon's animal welfare improvement is inseparable from its broader political and economic recovery — a necessary but uncertain prospect. In the near term, international support for Lebanese welfare organizations remains critical for sustaining existing capacity. Priority areas once stability allows: operationalizing Law 47 with implementing regulations and enforcement capacity, closing unregulated private zoos and exotic animal facilities, establishing systematic stray management programs, and strengthening wildlife trafficking enforcement. Lebanon's educated, connected civil society is a genuine asset — the capacity for meaningful welfare reform exists and needs primarily institutional support and political stability to realize its potential.