Four Paws, the international animal welfare organization, successfully completed the first part of its rescue operation near Aleppo, Syria only months after completing a mission in Mosul, Iraq. Nine animals have been evacuated from an abandoned amusement park, but more remain trapped. In the wake of the fighting and turmoil, the team is planning to rescue the remaining animals in the second half of the risky mission. "The journey across Turkey was a tiring affair for all of us. Due to the extreme heat, we had to stop every three to four hours to check on the conditions of the animals and provide them with water," stated Four Paws Veterinarian and Head of Mission Dr. Amir Khalil. "We are thrilled that we were able to bring the animals safely to their first destination." The challenging rescue mission is financially supported by a donation from American journalist Eric Margolis.