Starting Over
Rehabilitation sanctuary for animals
The rehabilitation sanctuary of Starting Over was founded in 2017 by Sharon Cohen with the aim of rescuing and rehabilitating animals in distress and providing them a safe and secure haven for the rest of their lives. the animals at the sanctuary suffered severe neglect and /or abuse, most of them horses and donkeys who were rescued from a life of hard labour and slavery.
The sanctuary is divided into enclosures according to the condition of the animals, a compound for blind and disabled animals, the elderly, rehabilitated, a maternity home for donkeys that arrived pregnant (of course there is breeding at the sanctuary), and there are currently about 900 animals living here: there are about 500 donkeys, some of them disabled and / or blind, living in a special compound adapted for their disability.
The vast majority of the donkeys came from a life of slavery of carrying carts until their legs were broken or collapsed in exhaustion. Some came after severe and deliberate abuse and suffered severe injuries that required lengthy rehabilitation.
Those that did not collapse were collected by merchants with the aim of selling them and transporting them to Gaza for hard labor, or to Egypt for the Chinese ejiao industry (slaughtering and exporting the skins to China, where the ejiao is produced from their skins).
These transfers were stopped by the organization and the donkeys were transferred to the sanctuary for refuge and rehabilitation and a new life in which no one would harm them.
About 50 horses, some of them disabled and / or blind, also live in adapted complexes.
Some of the horses also came from carrying carts and some from riding farms that abandoned them and left them to their fate when they reached old age or were injured so there is no way to take advantage of them anymore.
Over 150 cats, some of them disabled and / or blind and living in a special rehabilitation complex adapted for them.
Dogs rescued from difficult places, dozens of goats and sheep that were rescued after being abandoned or confiscated following injury or neglect. Cows, chickens and other winged animals.
The donkey compound that was rescued from delivery to Gaza and Egypt, where they would come to hard labor until death and to the abattoirs of the Ejiao industry
The organization has a team of 12 employees and dozens of volunteers who work around the clock so that the animals have the best conditions.
Operational workers who take care of the feeding and cleaning of hundreds of animals every day, physical, strenuous and intensive work.
A professional medical team of 4 girls who care for the animals with great dedication and take care of providing medication, changing bandages and regular medical treatments, long shifts that in practice continue even when they are not physically in the sanctuary.
The organization has national service volunteers who are an integral part of the operational team.
Beyond the staff and volunteers, the organization works regularly with the hospital in Beit Dagan for the initial treatment of complex cases and a regular veterinarian who comes frequently.
Visit us - the tours of Herut Center
The Herut Center runs tours of the sanctuary on a regular basis. In the tours you will get to see our work from close up, the world of our protected animals, you will hear about the harsh reality that those outside the sanctuary go through and you will feel the gratitude of our tenants for being given the opportunity to start over.
Please contact us via Email:
Volunteer
The organization has a team of 12 employees, national service boys and girls and dozens of volunteers without whom the association would not have been able to exist.
We are looking for volunteers for the day-to-day operation of the sanctuary- physical work that includes helping clean the enclosures of the animals, caring for the cats, helping with physiotherapy and lots of love for our residents - we are looking for people who can come regularly once a week on a regular day. Unfortunately we do not currently have a one-time volunteer option.
In addition, any area of expertise you have and you think can help us, we will be very happy!
We will be happy if you send us details and we will get back to you soon, thank you!