Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
A kind-hearted dog lover has set up an appeal to relocate a furry friend which she found scared and abandoned on one of the kingdom’s beaches.
British expat mum Ellissa Williamson was walking on Nurana Island when she came across the miserable mutt, who she quickly named Teddy after his soft coat and cuddly nature.
She is now attempting to raise £600 (BD287) on donation site GoFundMe to relocate him to Canada where he can find a foster home.
“I was out dog-walking on Nurana, which is quite isolated, and I found Teddy with a gash on his leg which needed urgent medical attention,” explained former GulfWeekly columnist Ellissa who lives in Saar. “He was also hungry, dehydrated and frankly looking quite desperate.
“Some boys had been throwing heavy stones at him and he was very scared. I managed to coax him into my car and he just sat quietly, relieved to be safe. I took him straight to the vets where he was de-wormed, de-ticked and given antibiotics.
“He was definitely a pet until quite recently, I’m sure, as he loves company, is extremely affectionate, has immaculate teeth and jumped into the car without any hesitation.”
In next to no time, Teddy was soon back on his feet, his leg stitched up and his strength slowly returning. However, Ellissa already has a number of pets, plus three children, and cannot take on another dog permanently.
Therefore, she decided to raise awareness of Teddy’s plight on a Facebook group named ‘Rays of Hope’, a project which relocates animals to North America firstly to fostering and adoption centres, and then on to permanent homes.
She explained: “Unfortunately, I cannot keep Teddy after his rehabilitation but he is so kind, and everyone comments on how handsome he is. He’s a real head-turner, very sociable and loyal.
“I have tried very hard to find his original owners, local adoption or fostering help, with no luck. There are an enormous number of strays here in Bahrain and they endure terrible suffering. The rescue centres are completely full too so I was feeling so sad for Teddy.
“However, I was put in touch with Rays of Hope and I love what they’ve done for other animals here in Bahrain, with some 85 injured stray dogs now relocated to Canada and the US to find loving, homely environments.
“I would love for Teddy to be one of those lucky animals who could get to run in open fresh air spaces, with his tail wagging, feeling loved and happy. We believe he’s around 18 months old, so he has his whole life ahead of him.”
In order for this to be achieved, £600 needs to be raised to fly Teddy to his new life. At the time of printing, the figure stood at £355. Ellissa has already covered numerous medical costs, so all future donations will go towards his future life.
Ellissa said: “His journey and costs will all be shared and if we get enough donations, we would even be able to help more vulnerable stray or abused dogs finding new ‘forever homes’.
“He’s honestly the most loveable dog you could ever meet, and it astounds me that anybody could ever dream of abandoning him. He deserves his new life, one of love and happiness. Thank you so much to everyone who has donated so far and for anyone who decides to support Teddy in future.”
To donate to Teddy’s cause, visit https://www.gofundme.com/forever-home-for-teddy
