Three hapless huskies have been found abandoned just days apart in two separate cases in Sitra and Saar.
Families are being asked to think carefully before choosing them as pets and the authorities have been urged to crack down on breeders.
The alert comes after another case of animal angst came to light with 53 cats being found crammed and unwanted in a flat in Jid Ali.
The husky breed has become particularly popular in recent years due to its wolf-like beauty, piercing eyes and fun-loving personality.
However, too many people neglect to do proper research on the dog’s requirements before getting one as a pet.
Bahrain Strays founder Fathiya Albastaki has revealed to the GDN that multiple huskies have been abandoned in the heat of the summer because people underestimate the costs associated with caring for them.
Bahrain Strays is a community-led unregistered group of volunteers. “Three huskies have been found dumped on the streets over the past few days,” said Ms Albastaki.
“It is unfair to these dogs. The summer in this country is brutal, and every single year when it reaches its peak, people appear to get rid of their pet huskies.
“Often the reason is that these dogs need the ACs running all day which, in turn, means high electricity costs.
“Bahrain Strays has rescued many. I believe that the authorities should make a plan and put in place some strict rules.”
Huskies are unsuited for Bahrain primarily due to extreme heat, high humidity and thick double coats.
They have a heavy double coat made to trap heat in snowy, bitter cold conditions, which traps body heat in hot weather and can cause overheating. Bahrain’s high summer temperatures and humidity raise the real risk of a fatal heat stroke.
High humidity can trap moisture in their dense fur, leading to hot spots and fungal skin infections, veterinary experts state.
The dogs cannot walk on hot pavement or exercise outside safely for large parts of the year, and must stay in strong air conditioning all day, which goes against their need for wide-open running space.
Huskies are sadly among the top purebred dogs abandoned in Bahrain, with prominent local animal rescue advocates reporting a consistent influx of the breed at already overwhelmed shelters.
“Many abandoned dogs have died,” said Ms Albastaki. “I rescued two of them in Sitra after receiving a call from someone who spotted them digging in the soil in an attempt to cool off their bodies.
“They were so tired and exhausted by the time we got to them and I had to call an animal relocation service to pick them up and transport them to a clinic for treatment.”
Just days later after finding the first pair, Ms Albastaki found a third male husky abandoned in Saar, next to Spartan Fitness.
She stated that since July 13, multiple people online who found the dog have made social media posts urging someone to foster or adopt the dog.
“Someone confirmed that they would pick him up and would adopt him.
“But that person never showed up!
“I wish that the authorities would look into this matter and would set up rules to forbid importing huskies in the country.
“They are not built for this kind of environment.”
nader@gdnmedia.bh
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