With an uptick in families naming their children after slain hostages Kfir and Ariel Bibas and their mother Shiri, the memories of slain hostages are now honored across species, thanks to Long Island-based pet rescue, Gimme Shelter.
Gimme Shelter Animal Rescue is based in Sag Harbor, on Long Island’s east end near the iconic Hampton and founded by Michelle Neufeld Montak, a Jewish woman who was born in Israel and relocated to the states as a child with her family.
Her parents were both born and raised in Israel and served in the IDF. She grew up spending summers in Israel, speaking Hebrew, and feeling a deep attachment to Israel.
Neufeld Montak told The Jerusalem Post that she wanted to use her organization’s pet naming to honor the Bibas family and their beloved family dog Tonto, who was brutally murdered on October 7 by Hamas terrorists.
View this post on Instagram
Having rescued thousands of dogs since the rescue was founded in 2011, Gimme Shelter constantly has the opportunity and need to give fresh, memorable names to their adorable adoptables.
“The world post-October 7 has been so devastating, especially the hostage situation with so many of our people stolen and murdered. I’ve been heartbroken over everyone,” she said. “But the Bibas family getting murdered was beyond gut-wrenching. So I wanted to honor them and preserve their memories.”
Perfect timing for new puppies to be adopted
She told The Jerusalem Post that the timing of the official announcement of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir’s death coincided with finding a litter of puppies who needed to find homes. “It just so happened that we rescued a litter of pups when we found out about the Bibas murders. So I decided to name a few of the pups in loving memory of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir and their dog Tonto who was [also] murdered on October 7.”
All four of these puppies, alongside many others, are looking for permanent homes and responsible families to take care of them like family. As a nonprofit organization, Gimme Shelter relies on donations to complete its work. The organization is also constantly looking for foster homes for their animals.
This rescue took the opportunity to spread awareness of Israel’s hostage crisis and honor the memories of the slain in the form of furry friends and spreading love and kindness.