19-year-old Sara Mahmoud
‘These animals have souls’: Mosul girl shelters injured stray cats in her home
MOSUL — For four years, 19-year-old Sara Mahmoud has rescued and cared for stray and injured cats in Mosul’s Thawra neighborhood. She has sheltered 23 cats suffering from accidents, abuse, or illness and treated them in a designated room in her home.
“I help these cats out of love and compassion for these weak and injured creatures,” Mahmoud told 964media.
Mahmoud tracks local social media posts about injured or abandoned cats, picking them up, treating them, and providing vaccinations before bringing them home.
“It all started in 2020 when I was a child. I began rescuing cats with the help of my family and set up a room in our home, equipping it with small shelters, food, and some essential medicines,” she said.
A high school senior, Mahmoud has learned to administer injections and set IV drips. She has also built wooden shelters for the cats.
“I aspire to have a sanctuary in a few years. I cannot shelter all the cats in this room, and their numbers are increasing, so they need a larger space,” she said.
Using her own savings and support from her family, Mahmoud provides food, medicine, cooling in the summer and heating in the winter. “These animals have souls like us, and God has instructed us to care for them,” she noted.
Mahmoud believes raising awareness is key to preventing harm to stray animals. “Children should be taught not to hurt stray cats and dogs,” she said.
