Dubai's royal family helps bring dog who was shot, injured back to life

One of their own dogs was able to donate its blood to save the abused Saluki

Nasreen Abdulla

Published: Wed 24 Aug 2022, 1:16 PM

Last updated: Wed 24 Aug 2022, 10:20 PM

Dubai’s royal family has stepped in to save the life of Lucky, a Saluki that was found shot and severely injured in Ras Al Khaimah.

The family rushed in five dogs to Vets24 veterinary clinic, where Lucky was undergoing a blood transfusion, so that they could find the best donor for him. Eventually, Bonny, a 74kg Caucasian Shepherd, was the pet that donated its blood to the Saluki.

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The procedure went well, and Lucky is recovering. However, according to his doctor, it could take a few days to gauge his condition. “He is still not out of the woods,” said Dr Chenjerai Sigauke of Vets24 veterinary clinic.

“He is not eating by himself, and he is quite depressed. If assisted, he is able to stand up. His temperature is normal, but his glucose levels are fluctuating. We will be keeping a close watch on him over the next three days to see how well he is responding to treatment.”

How the Saluki was rescued

It was on Monday that the Stray Dog Center - Umm Al Quwain (SDC-UAQ) was first notified about Lucky.

“He had been around the area for many days, but no one noticed,” said Amirah William from the centre. “Finally, a passerby felt sorry for him and called us after finding out about us from Facebook.”

It took volunteers of SDC-UAQ several hours to get to Ras Al Khaimah and what they found there shocked them. “He was severely injured and malnourished,” said Amirah. “He had been shot multiple times and you could see his ribs through his skin. He was indeed lucky to be alive.”

Lucky was rushed to Vets24 veterinary clinic where the doctors examined him thoroughly. “We could see two pellets lodged inside him,” said Dr Chenjerai Sigauke. “We could still see the entry point of the bullets, so the shots were fired recently. He had multiple skin wounds. However, the biggest issue was his malnourishment. He had not been getting enough food or water for quite some time, judging by his condition.”

Soon, Lucky’s situation took a turn for the worse. That is when the group reached out to the community.

“We posted on our social media channels looking for blood donors and we had an outpouring of support from animal lovers,” said Amirah. “A man even called and offered his own blood if we were unable to find anything else. Luckily for us, the royal family stepped in and sent their dogs and we were able to find a perfect match for Lucky.”

Watch how everything unfolded:

Despite the abuse he has faced, Dr Chenjerai Sigauke said that Lucky is still a very friendly dog.

According to Amirah, the immediate focus is on making sure the Saluki recovers well. After that, the group will look for a good home that will help him get back to his healthy self.

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