After five years of rescuing and rehoming dogs from around the world, we’ve learned that such tales of exploitation and greed are all too common. The sad truth is that animal abuse is still overwhelming prevalent the world over. As such, rarely a day goes by that the team don’t hear of yet more dogs in need of urgent help. Amidst the ongoing tidal wave of cruelty, we’re embarking on a rescue mission with a particularly harrowing story. It’s a story that casts dogs as mere vehicles in the pursuit of wealth and notoriety; a story we’ve heard one too many times. We’ve decided to write a new, happier ending for our Salukis, with our S.O.S fundraising appeal and rescue mission.
One of the oldest breeds in the world, Salukis have been bred for centuries, admired for their speeds and stamina. Sadly, in a country where dog racing is an increasingly popular part of the culture, these skills have inevitably been exploited by humans looking to make a financial gain. The intense demand on dogs to perform well and win races, leads to such abhorrent practices as injecting them with human steroids.
As you can imagine, these “experiments” fail horrendously with horrific results. These three beautiful, innocent souls were left with permanent limb damage and a bleak future ahead of them. Now unable to race, they were deemed an unnecessary burden and subsequently dumped in the Askar region of Bahrain, in a junkyard renowned for such abandonment. Our three Salukis are just three of who knows how many that have been used, abused and tossed aside; the forgotten by-products of a cruel, greedy sport.
But we’re determined to give these dogs the kind of future that all dogs deserve, no matter their breed or background. They may have had a horrendous start in life, but like all rescues, they will flourish if only we can source the treatment and homes they need. Currently, our Salukis can walk and run short distances, but they’ll need expert advice if they’re ever to lead comfortable, happy lives. We can’t yet be certain what the long journey ahead of them will entail, but we are certain that they won’t get the treatment they need in Bahrain.
This is why we’re launching our SOS: Save Our Salukis appeal, which will help us fly them to the UK, as soon as we can. Once in the UK, they will receive proper consultation and care. At just 10 months old, these Salukis have been treated as commodities their entire lives. With the launch of our SOS appeal, we’re hoping to change that by showing them love and kindness for perhaps the first time ever. We’ll be updating this post in the coming days, with rescue plans and further information on fostering and treatment. But before we can begin to map out a brighter future, we need to raise enough funds to cover their boarding, whilst still in Bahrain, their travel to the UK and their consultations when they arrive.
We need at least £9,000 to launch our SOS campaign and we’re relying on our fantastic community to help us reach our target. We haven’t before seen dogs with such severe limb damage and we’re suspecting you haven’t either. So if you can, please donate anything you can to our SOS appeal. Our promise is that every penny will go directly to our rescue mission of these three special souls.
All three of our Salukis are now looking for a foster home for when they arrive in the UK. To begin with, they’ll need fostering while they undergo treatment, attend vet appointments etc. but we’d love to hear from fosters who have a view to adopt at a later stage.
All fees and expenses will be covered, but fosters should be prepared to accompany their foster dog to appointments.
So, without further ado…
Click to meet each dog and find out more about their wonderful personalities:
You can donate via our dedicated Save Our Salukis fundraising page which will ensure that 100% of your contribution will go towards this campaign, helping to fund the board, transport, treatment and aftercare of Sampson, Suki and Sadie.
If you live overseas and would like to donate in your preferred currency, please donate via PayPal, specifying where you’d like your donation to go in the comments field.
You can find out more about alternative ways to give here.
Despite having been the victims of such horrific cruelty, thanks to your support we’ll be able to give them the happy and healthy future they truly deserve. We are so grateful for your support.
On behalf of Sampson, Suki and Sadie: thank you.
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