Refuge for Cats; From Misery to Ashes

The body of Shohreh Raoufi, an animal rights activist and founder of a shelter for abandoned and injured cats, was buried on Monday in the presence of a crowd of people, environmental enthusiasts, and animal rights activists. The shelter that Raoufi established was reduced to ashes on Saturday due to a fire that claimed the life of this animal rights activist and two hundred cats under her care. Radio Farda interviewed Shahram Mohajer, Ms. Raoufi's lawyer, who attended the funeral. Mohajer stated that the atmosphere at the ceremony was filled with a sorrow that truly had no words to describe it, and thanks to social media, many people attended, including many who had never met Ms. Raoufi but felt so heartbroken upon hearing of the incident that they came. Many friends could not attend due to work commitments or distance, but the ceremony was magnificent, leaving a lasting sorrow for all of us that we lost a truly unique individual. Mohajer mentioned that the main issue Ms. Raoufi faced was that her work was quite special; while there are other animal shelters in Iran, the way she managed her cat shelter was unique. Unfortunately, the environmental and urban animal welfare authorities did not provide assistance, despite repeated requests. When asked why they did not help, Mohajer expressed his confusion, suggesting that it might be because someone was doing something good, and that if it were just a slogan, everyone would help. The authorities often passed them around without addressing the real issues. Mohajer lamented the indifference of society towards someone who dedicated her life to caring for animals, stating that the death of Ms. Raoufi is not just her loss but a sign of the decline of society itself.