JEDDAH, 28 November 2004 — Two dogs have been adopted and so escaped with their lives a day before they were scheduled to be put to sleep at a local veterinary hospital. After being abandoned by their owners, the dogs, a one-year old Pomeranian and a 14-month-old golden retriever, were set to be euthanized.
“The dogs have been here for six months. They were brought in for boarding and grooming and were then abandoned. We have fed them and cared for them for six months in the hope that their owners would come back, but they haven’t,” said Dr. Deborah Zahid, owner of Tahlia International Veterinary Clinic.
“It is going to break my heart if I have to euthanize them. It is a shame because they are both very healthy and smart,” Dr. Deborah said. The owner of the golden retriever has accumulated a SR6,000 bill for boarding and feeding over the past six months and is unlikely to return for the dog.
“It costs us money to feed and care for abandoned animals. They also take up space that I can’t really spare because the hospital is small. We first tried to sell them to people we know who have experience with dogs. Then we tried giving them away for free to the right people but they didn’t want them. I can’t just give them to anyone because they may end up being used in a dogfight or simply abused,” Dr. Deborah told Arab News.
When Arab News went to visit Tahlia International Veterinary Clinic the situation had changed. A Saudi woman was at the clinic ready to adopt both dogs. “I heard about the dogs this morning and came to see them. I want to take the Pomeranian for myself and the golden retriever for my brother-in-law. I couldn’t let them die,” she told Arab News.
“Although it breaks my heart, it is more humane to put the animals to sleep. That guarantees that they don’t suffer. They simply go to sleep and never wake up. It is completely painless,” Dr. Deborah added.
Anyone wishing to adopt a cat or a dog should call or visit the Tahlia International Veterinary Clinic at 02-669-5554.
