Watch: Animal lovers save 'malnourished' dog stranded on ten-lane Abu Dhabi highway
When a saluki dog was spotted trapped on a ten-lane highway in the Al Shawamekh Area where cars zoomed past at 140kmph, a community of animal lovers came together to rescue it heroically. While many slowed down and watched it before driving away, for Rawan Ghunaim, founder of rescue group House of Hounds (HOH), it was a call to action. She immediately coordinated the rescue attempt, and the dog is now in safe hands.“The little boy is now at the vet,” she told Khaleej Times. “He was sick and severely malnourished. He weighed about 15.7kgs and had an ear infection as well as scars. He looks like he has undergone some trauma — he might have been hit by a car, but we don’t know that for sure. Now the focus is on nursing him back to life and ensuring that he is placed in a good home.”The rescuer named him Shamekh, which in Arabic means ‘one who stands tall with dignity, pride, and resilience.’ Rawan said that there is a long way to recovery for him. “He was severely anaemic and also had tick fever, which indicates neglect,” she said. “There was no microchip, so the dog is officially in the care of HOH now and we are looking to place him in a good home.”Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.The rescue effortRawan explained how a rescuer had alerted her to the plight of the dog on Tuesday afternoon. “A lovely cat rescuer, Majeda Al Hosani, spotted the saluki on her way to work and later that day, when she was coming back, he was still there,” said Rawan. “That is when she reached out to me.”Although Rawan tried driving up and down the road, she could not spot the dog and knew that she did not have the expertise needed to pull off the rescue on her own. She contacted her friend and fellow rescuer Hamad Al Ghanem, who has years of experience in dealing with salukis. “He was at work and promised to reach by 3.30pm on Tuesday afternoon,” she said. “Majeda stayed at the location for more than two house and kept her eyes on Shamekh to make sure that he did not injure himself. Once Hamad rescued him, Majeda drove him to the British Veternary Clinic in Abu Dhabi."Once Hamad arrived, he quickly spotted Shamekh and rescued him. In a video shared with Khaleej Times, Hamad can be seen carefully approaching the dog and patting him before carrying him to the car parked on the hard shoulder. Watch below:Increasingly abandonedAccording to Rawan, this is not an isolated incident. She added that it was just another day in her uphill battle to save one of the country’s most culturally significant yet increasingly abandoned dog breeds.“I am rescuing two or three salukis everyday,” she said. Many are found abandoned on highways, in deserts or near farms, often injured or malnourished. Once highly valued companions that lived alongside families in tents and assisted with hunting, salukis are now frequently ill-treated. She points to a growing cultural disconnect. While older generations respected the breed, younger owners increasingly viewed the breed as racing tools or beauty contest animals. “When they’re no longer useful, they’re discarded,” she said.She added that salukis are low-maintenance and calm animals, often compared to cats for their quiet and affectionate nature. “People think they’re high-energy and difficult, but they’re actually very easy dogs,” Rawan said. “Once you understand the breed, you fall in love.”Adoption within the UAE remains challenging, and many rescued salukis are rehomed in Europe, where families are more familiar with the breed. House of Hounds is registered as a non-profit organisation in Europe and the United States and facilitates international adoptions. Watch: UAE residents, dragon boat racers help rescue pet dog missing for monthUAE: Abused, abandoned horses, donkeys find refuge at RAK shelter built amid mountains
When a saluki dog was spotted trapped on a ten-lane highway in the Al Shawamekh Area where cars zoomed past at 140kmph, a community of animal lovers came together to rescue it heroically. While many slowed down and watched it before driving away, for Rawan Ghunaim, founder of rescue group House of Hounds (HOH), it was a call to action. She immediately coordinated the rescue attempt, and the dog is now in safe hands.
“The little boy is now at the vet,” she told Khaleej Times. “He was sick and severely malnourished. He weighed about 15.7kgs and had an ear infection as well as scars. He looks like he has undergone some trauma — he might have been hit by a car, but we don’t know that for sure. Now the focus is on nursing him back to life and ensuring that he is placed in a good home.”
The rescuer named him Shamekh, which in Arabic means ‘one who stands tall with dignity, pride, and resilience.’ Rawan said that there is a long way to recovery for him. “He was severely anaemic and also had tick fever, which indicates neglect,” she said. “There was no microchip, so the dog is officially in the care of HOH now and we are looking to place him in a good home.”
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
The rescue effort
Rawan explained how a rescuer had alerted her to the plight of the dog on Tuesday afternoon. “A lovely cat rescuer, Majeda Al Hosani, spotted the saluki on her way to work and later that day, when she was coming back, he was still there,” said Rawan. “That is when she reached out to me.”
Although Rawan tried driving up and down the road, she could not spot the dog and knew that she did not have the expertise needed to pull off the rescue on her own. She contacted her friend and fellow rescuer Hamad Al Ghanem, who has years of experience in dealing with salukis. “He was at work and promised to reach by 3.30pm on Tuesday afternoon,” she said. “Majeda stayed at the location for more than two house and kept her eyes on Shamekh to make sure that he did not injure himself. Once Hamad rescued him, Majeda drove him to the British Veternary Clinic in Abu Dhabi."
Once Hamad arrived, he quickly spotted Shamekh and rescued him. In a video shared with Khaleej Times, Hamad can be seen carefully approaching the dog and patting him before carrying him to the car parked on the hard shoulder. Watch below:
Increasingly abandoned
According to Rawan, this is not an isolated incident. She added that it was just another day in her uphill battle to save one of the country’s most culturally significant yet increasingly abandoned dog breeds.
“I am rescuing two or three salukis everyday,” she said. Many are found abandoned on highways, in deserts or near farms, often injured or malnourished.
Once highly valued companions that lived alongside families in tents and assisted with hunting, salukis are now frequently ill-treated. She points to a growing cultural disconnect. While older generations respected the breed, younger owners increasingly viewed the breed as racing tools or beauty contest animals. “When they’re no longer useful, they’re discarded,” she said.
She added that salukis are low-maintenance and calm animals, often compared to cats for their quiet and affectionate nature. “People think they’re high-energy and difficult, but they’re actually very easy dogs,” Rawan said. “Once you understand the breed, you fall in love.”
Adoption within the UAE remains challenging, and many rescued salukis are rehomed in Europe, where families are more familiar with the breed. House of Hounds is registered as a non-profit organisation in Europe and the United States and facilitates international adoptions.
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