Taken from Arab Times:
Last weekend in Kebd, farm areas: Volunteers found a horse in a terrible condition in front of a farm on a paddock. When we arrived the horse was lying lifeless in the middle of the sun, that time we had about 46 Degrees Celsius. We tried to inform the people inside of the farm but nobody answered. Without hesitation we went inside and tried to motivate the horse to move into the shaded area at the corner of the paddock. When the horse got up we realized his terrible constitution …he was sighing under great pain and was not able to stand on his front legs, he tried to jump on his shivering back legs into the direction we asked him to…after an hour for us endless time the horse made the 4 m distance and fell down in the shade with a scream of pain and desperation. We fixed provisionally fences around him that he couldn’t roll back into the sun, then we immediately pored cool water over his whole body and had a closer look on his front leg hoofs…the picture was indescribable…
He was obviously suffering of an advanced laminitis, the coffin bone becomes detached from the horny wall and may rotate or sink. In lay terms, this is known as “founder,” from the maritime term meaning to sink.
Early treatment of a Laminitis is necessary, a delay of even a few hours can literally be the difference between continued healthy living and euthanasia. This horse was obviously not treated properly or at all for days or even weeks…
I sent the pictures of the hoofs to a horse vet, he never saw a laminitis in this stage, the sole of the hoofs were already gone…
We tried as good as possible to disinfect the raw feet, padded the hoofs and applied bandages to protect it from further infections. Actually in this stage there is no other solution than to euthanize a horse. He was in agony, his eyes were broken and he was the whole time sighing that we all had to fight our tears.
After half an hour finally the staff of the farm came out and were quiet surprised about the activity outside. We asked for the number of the owner and asked them to move the horse inside but they were unable to do anything, they haven’t be aware of the serious situation. They told us the horse was treated a while ago and showed us some old medicine, they didn’t even have betadine, bandages or anything else which was appropriate.
After taking care of the horse we had to leave and hoped to reach the owner at least to euthanize the horse in a humane way as it was his duty…but the following hours taught us cruely about the ignorance and arrogance of some human beings.
A few hours later I was called back and was accused to have stolen dogs from the property, I was accused of entering a private property without permission. The Kuwaiti lady was threatening me to send me to jail, she could find out my place of living and tonight her brother would show up with the police to arrest me…I offered her to meet her brother at the police station, because I just helped an animal in pain and asked her if she would be able to pray tonight with a clear heart and without any regrets to leave a creature of GOD/ ALLAH in this condition outside without any medical support or even supervision; her answer was:
“This is my country and I can do whatever I want with my animals, it’s not your business!’’
Really? Is she right? Is it that what this country wants and needs?
I explained to her that any suffering animal or human is our all business, education, empathy and humanity are the keywords for a modern world, for a modern society..
The threats and calls continued, I begged her to euthanize the suffering horse, but she refused. At least her brother, the owner, went out that night to have a closer look….
A conversation with a local horse vet confirmed me in my believe that Kuwait needs urgently regulations, screening, registration, statistics, research when it comes to animal husbandry or breeding.
Animal Pharmacies allow every private person to treat their animals by their own good will, with or without medical background. Thousands of animals are suffering in farms and breeding stations due to wrong diagnoses, wrong treatment and unprofessional care. Most of the animals which are later sold are suffering from incurable diseases, cost the owner a lot of money to cure these diseases or lead to abandoning cases.
I would love to tell you a happy end of this tragic story, but there is none…when we visited the place at the next day the horse was gone…
By: M. Winkler
50 replies on “Another Painful Story of Frustration Over Animal Welfare”
Thank you for posting this. At the end of the day, sometimes all we can do is try the best we can.
It would be amazing if we could have a Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals with real enforcement authority. Inform the people of their mistakes, give them only one chance to change things and if they don’t then the animals are taken away and treated or euthanized.
I guess Parliament is too busy with more important matters.
It sad but yeah if there are bigger problems animals will always come last.
That is really sad. And what a b**** for taking such a stand. “it is my country”?! What a shameful reply coming from a woman who would probably cry a river for a broken fingernail. What a b****.
Agreed.
+1
Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) said, “A prostitute was forgiven by Allah, because, passing by a panting dog near a well and seeing that the dog was about to die of thirst, she took off her shoe, and tying it with her head-cover she drew out some water for it. So, Allah forgave her because of that.”
Have mercy on these animals.
Hey Mark
You wrote Kuwait Times, its actually Arab Times
you’re right thanks
A friend of the family’s cat had kittens a couple years ago. She gave us one. What we didn’t know was that she was born with serious problems in her hindlegs. It wasn’t obvious at first, but as she grew, walking became a huge struggle for her. She would literally have to drag herself with her front paws to get somewhere. We took her to the vet when it first became apparent something was wrong. One by the Friday Market. The vet played around with her legs and told us it was calcium deficiency and gave us this white powder to put on her food. The powder must have tasted like shit because she stopped eating from her bowl. She would follow me to the kitchen (even though it would obviously pain her) and look at me until I gave her tuna.
Her legs got worse and soon she couldn’t even make it to the litter box. We took her to a different vet this time, the Royal Animal Hospital. They told us that she did not have calcium deficiency, but two dislocated (I think it was) hips and a hernia. How the Hell do you confuse that with calcium deficiency? They said they could not treat her but offered to send her to a hospital in the UAE, where she would be better taken care of.
It was either that or take her home, where her condition would get worse. We agreed to send her away for care.
Never heard back from them again. It’s been nearly two years. I recently found out she was shipped off to the British Vetinary Centre in Abu Dhabi. As I’m moving to the UAE soon, I’ve emailed the hospital, but have not heard back from them. This was last week.
I really fear the worst. I think sending her away was a huge mistake and it’s been on my conscience ever since.
I would never take my dog there. Our old family dog had like a huge lump on his neck, we kept taking him to the friday market vet and the vet kept telling us it’s normal ignore it. Our dog started to get weaker and weaker and he stopped eating and become very skinny. He then couldn’t hold his poo anymore. In the end we had to put him to sleep to ease is suffering. I wish I knew about IVH back then or if only Royal Animal Hospital was around maybe I could have gotten a second opinion. This is the picture I took of him before we took him to be put to sleep 🙁
https://www.flickr.com/photos/miskan/16694581/
there have been some improvement in the past few years regarding animal rights, with hospitals and organizations that do actually do care about them. But the real would be passing some laws from the Parliament to protect those hopeless creatures. I don’t expet much from the current (extremists heaven) Parliament but hopefully the next one would do so.
Dumbfounded!
7esbeyalah wane3m alwakeel ya rabby t3aagebhom. el denya dawaara, wel nas 3abalha ena el 7aywan ma 3enda 7ooba. kel roo7 bel denya net7aasab 3alaiha sawa2an ensan aw 7aywan.
Kafu
This is so sad. I’m speechless.
let them give some right to the Asians who work here then maybe they will look the animal situation here
I am pretty sure that Kuwaiti lady just trashed the Poor Horse somewhere far in desert… why doesn’t Police investigate on her ?
There is a special place in hell for those that prey on the weak; and the weakest of us all are those that cannot speak.
For this lady, they will roll out the red carpet.
+100000000000000000000000000
Well said Burhan
You know what the worst part is? She’s right. She can do that and get away with it. We can’t even get some people rights, let alone animals.
you are a westerner you have some right here. if you where an Arab or Asian you will be in jail now awaiting your plane to take you home.
yes this country belongs to the Kuwaiti people and they can do what ever they want with ANYTHING IN IT , who want to stop them ????? (unfortunately most of them thin like this )
All of them are like that.
I’m pulling a Bullshit card on you, Steve. No Kuwaiti bashing and racism. It’s nice to stay in a bubble of ignorance. There are many Kuwaitis who care and many of those outraged on this blog are Kuwaitis.
Yes! I agree with you and I know a lot of Kuwaitis who care about animals.
No Kuwaiti bashing and racism here.
You cant blame the whole country for ones mistake.. agreed.. there are a handful of arrogant nationals.. but there are also the good ones…
its the same in all countries I guess.. but the level of arrogance varies!!!
sometimes when egytians are talking… i feel like they are fighting… literally 😉
Unfortunately people over here forget their humanity. I fully support animal rights. Treat them with care and compassion! They are living beings.
Thank you for posting this article. I hope we soon get rules and regulations regarding the treatment of animals and pets–especially punishing owners for abandoning their pets as many people do in this country.
I love animals…And I’m up for their rights…
but I say.. Human Rights before animal rights…
Now a days you see people treating their dogs like their children…
and other human being like Stray Dogs!!!
Agreed.
Welcome to the Arab world
Last week it was a story of a dog, who’s eye was plucked out by some kids. These are just few of the mistreatment towards animals we hear of, there are thousand more of these silent screaming that go on a daily basis in this country.
I agree about the disturbing things you see here. Yesterday I saw a Bangladeshi cleaner fling a kitten with his metal dustpan. And down the street from me there is Kuwaiti family that has their dog in cage in front of the house in the sun; I spoke to them to no avail. If you think this stuff doesn’t happen elsewhere think again; watch Animal Planet and you’ll see what I mean. Like a dog chained, hogtied and mouth taped up, thrown in a trash bin.
Say what you want about those who are inhumane but don’t paint all Arabs or Kuwaitis as the same.
I agree with you Haitham, This goes on everywhere. However you see these thing more offten or everyday out here.
The problem with the western ex-pats every arab is Kuwaiti to them. It could be a GCC-member citizen, lebanese, syrian, egyptian, bidoon, but they are not able to differentiate between citizens and them.
Somebody needs to padlock her a** in the sun!
Well said, maybe she’s have an ounce of remorse then
she’d*
It is sad as people think praying is there ticket to heaven no matter what they wrong do to others be humans, animals or environment. Those are ” criminals”
This is the same happening with some of the Human Beings, but the no one is there to write a so big Column for their apathy. Animal or Human being all do need care. But unfortunately no one writes about Human Suffering now a days….
because we have a friend of ours who received threats from ‘officials’ here when he wrote about the human abuses here.
This is sooo depressing.. I know we cannot run away from such problems and have to face them in order to correct them. But it is always sooo easy to shy away and hide oneself.. I am ashamed that is what everyone is doing.. HIDING!!
@ Haitham.. You are right this is not confined to just Kuwait or the Arab world. What you see on Animal Planet is just as bad but there is a difference and that is in The US,the UK and even in the UAE there are laws that prevent such horror and act against the assholes that commit them. I am talking confiscation of animals, prsion time and huge fines for the SOB’s.Here in Kuwait organizations like PAWS and IVS can only do so much but have no govt backing to do anything preventive or worthwile.They can talk , advise or scream till their face turns blue but no will listen unless the person is a big shot. Even developing countries like India who have huge stray animal problem have animal cruelty laws on their books.. no one gives a damnn about the animals on the street they are just a part of life there but the difference is is any individual decides that he wants to take any action to prevent cruelty towards any animal then at least he has the law and the courts to back him up. Here in Kuwait they are more concerned on how they can squeeze more cash out of the working class.. (check the new propsed laws in the paper lately)Why would they waste time taking care on a helpless animal??
Like Nap said ..Steve is westerner he knows that he has certain rights and he is educated enough to know that there are laws in this country and was bold enough to tell the lady that he was ready to meet them at the plice station. He knows worst case scenario his embassy will step in with legal aid to talk for him and help him out. Lets see an Arab or and Asian expat do what he did. No way in hell .They would piss in their pants at the mere mention of case file and police station.. Matter of fact the lady and her brother would have had a field day if it was an Asian. That poor sod would most likely be in prision on some trumped up charge without a voice to speak for him. Asian embassies bar the Fillipino Embassy are notorious for playing dumb in these cases. So like somebody said previously on this blog. Dunbfounded, Sad, Speechless…these are the words.. Those of us who are human can only shed a tear for what we know and see as cruelty towards God’s creatures that cannot speak but we dare not raise a voice lest we are heard by the wrong person who will end up destroying our lives and that of our famalies.
You’re right. See my original comment, first one on this subject.
This is terrible!!
unfortunately quiet a few locals have the attitude of THIS IS MY COUNTRY & I CAN DO WHATEVER I WANT!! IF YOU DONT LIKE IT.. LEAVE!!!
And there are also some Arabs (Non-Kuwaities) who get very attracted to such stuff & play the prank of I’m KUWAITI on poor people.. usually the Asians working on road or stores.
I’m sure the law is meant for all and is not biased… it just needs to IMPLIED!!!
My mistake … not Steve .. I meant to write..
Like Nap says.. M Winkler is a westerner.
What a depressing story!
Thanks Mark for highlighting such cases. Hopefully awareness would lead to some changes.
We need another war.
You may ask yourself how arrogant this woman is, well this country is breeding them by spoiling them rotten, you can see it from the way the maid are treated in front of the children. How can they possible grow up treating animals with respect. Sickness me to the core of my bones.
This is sick!
There is a stray cat that have been hanging near my home over half a year, one day she broke her leg. She and I are not THAT friendly to put her in the small cage we have and take her with me in my car to the doctor. I’ll still try to do it but I like to know where can I exactly take her to? But don’t post me clinics that charge because sadly I don’t have enough money. If their is a chance that her leg can still be fixed then I would really appreciate it if anyone can tell me about a clinic that is free of charge. Thanks.