Olfa has reached the point every rescuer fears.

She no longer has enough money to buy food for the animals.

This is not a large shelter with staff, reserves or emergency funding. This is one woman, working full-time, then spending the rest of her life feeding, cleaning, rescuing, treating and protecting around 70 rescued cats and dogs who have nowhere else to go.

Now she has asked Animals First Aid for emergency help because the situation has become critical.

Her boarding facility is asking for payment. Her rescued dogs are still there, and the debt from previous months is around 5,000 Tunisian dinars, with another 700 Tunisian dinars due for July.

Her pet food supplier is also waiting. Since October last year, Olfa has not been able to clear the outstanding food bills. That debt has now reached around 15,000 Tunisian dinars. Olfa owes about 20,700 Tunisian dinars — roughly $7,000 / £5,300 / €6,200 — before new veterinary emergencies are even counted.

She also has unpaid veterinary debts. Some cats still need sterilization. Some rescued cats must remain indoors because they are ill or unsafe outside. She is now struggling even to buy enough food and litter.

And while all of this is happening, the emergencies have not stopped.

Four cats have been poisoned. Another cat has disappeared, and Olfa fears he may also have been poisoned. Then, after taking one of the poisoned cats to the veterinary clinic, Olfa found another stray cat nearby, injured and terrified after being hit by a car. She could not leave her there suffering, so she caught her and took her into the clinic too. 

This is what rescue looks like when one person is doing the work of an entire shelter.

Olfa told us she feels physically and emotionally exhausted. She is trying to solve one emergency after another without ever getting the chance to recover. She has even thought about selling her car because she urgently needs money, but that same car is essential for visiting the cats and dogs, transporting food, going to work and rushing animals to the veterinarian.

If she loses the car, the animals lose one of the only lifelines they have.

Last weekend, Olfa could not bring the usual food supplies to the dogs at the boarding facility. The worker is trying to manage with prepared food, but Olfa is terrified they are not getting everything they need.

What hurts her most are the kittens and the most vulnerable animals.

They depend completely on her.

And she cannot bear the thought of not being able to feed them.

Animals First Aid is asking you to respond now because this is an emergency. Not next week. Not after the debt grows again. Not after another poisoned cat is found. Not after another animal goes hungry.

A gift of $50 can help provide urgent food, litter or basic supplies.

A gift of $75 can help with medicine, veterinary care or emergency treatment for poisoned and injured cats.

A gift of $100 or more can help AFA move immediate support toward food, vet bills and boarding before Olfa is forced to make impossible choices.

A gift of $250 can help keep the animals fed while we work with Olfa toward a more sustainable solution.

Olfa wrote that she cannot abandon these animals.

But she also cannot continue carrying this responsibility completely alone.

Please give now so Animals First Aid can stand beside one exhausted rescuer before hunger, debt and another emergency break what she has fought so hard to protect.

Olfa stopped for the cat who had been hit by a car.

Now we need to stop for Olfa.

P.S. Olfa is not asking because things are difficult. She is asking because they have become critical. She cannot buy enough food. She owes for boarding, food and vet care. Four cats were poisoned, one is missing, and another was hit by a car. Please send $50, $75, $100 or more now so AFA can get emergency help to the animals depending on her.