A major rescue operation was carried out by volunteers of a well-known animal welfare organisation to save three dogs that had been abandoned near the Busaiteen coastline and forced to take refuge among the rocky shoreline to survive.
The operation was launched after concerned members of the public spotted the frightened animals trapped between the rocks and alerted the Bahrain Animal Rescue Centre (BARC).
According to BARC volunteer Rachel Jondle, the rescue took place over the weekend, with volunteers navigating the rugged shoreline to reach the dogs – a two-year-old mother and her two eight-month-old puppies – trapped deep among the rocks.
“We initially received conflicting reports about how many dogs were there, but when we arrived, we discovered there were three,” she said.
Ms Jondle explained that the rescue was particularly challenging as the dogs were extremely frightened and had burrowed under the ground, digging tunnels to hide.
“It took five volunteers several hours over two days to rescue them,” she said, adding that a couple of fishermen also stepped in to assist. “We eventually managed to pin them to one location and carefully manoeuvre our arms and legs through the rocks to grab and free them.”
Although the dogs were found alive, they were in poor condition, suffering from dehydration, abrasions, severe matting and malnutrition, suggesting they had been abandoned in the area for weeks.
Ms Jondle believes the dogs were deliberately dumped, noting that there are no nearby houses, and it is unlikely the animals had wandered there on their own.
“This highlights a much bigger issue of people leaving animals and expecting the public or animal shelters to deal with the consequences,” she said.
She added that BARC receives reports of abandoned animals every day but lacks the capacity to take them all in. “We simply don’t have the space, and these rescue missions require a huge amount of manpower and resources,” she explained.
Another challenge, she said, is that most rescuers are volunteers. “We help when we can, usually after work or during the few free hours we have, and often that time just isn’t available.”
The rescue efforts also rely heavily on public support to help cover veterinary expenses, with the vet bills for the three dogs exceeding BD500.
The dogs are currently being spayed, vaccinated and microchipped to prepare them for adoption.
She also urged the community to take responsibility by neutering stray animals to help reduce Bahrain’s growing stray population.
“There also needs to be stricter measures in Bahrain to deter people from dumping animals. Everyone has a role to play,” she added.
The unregistered BARC was also involved in another rescue operation late last year, after 15 fluffy Persian cats were found abandoned in Arad.
- Members of the public wishing to support the rescued mutts’ road to recovery can contact the veterinary clinic directly by calling 33689990 and sending a screenshot of the contribution.
julia@gdnmedia.bh
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