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Urgent Help Needed for Saudi Arabia (KSA) Cat Rescue Mission
Ms. Gloria Lauris, President of EMRO, is in the process of trying to help some Saudi Arabian (KSA) yard cats to be rehomed in a desperate effort to get them off the streets and into homes, if possible. There are no shelters in Saudi Arabia, few foster homes, and only haphazard volunteer efforts are available to spay/neuter these felines. Many of the cats perish in the extreme temperatures and lack of food and water. Two ad hoc animal welfare groups are attempting to help these animals through a grassroots effort - one in the Dammam area on the East gulf area of the Arabian Gulf, and the other in Riyadh, inland. (See www.saudipaws.com to obtain more information on these groups as well as to view some of the cats they are trying to rehome.)
Unfortunately, these groups are not able to help all the cats as they are primarily network of foster homes with temporary arrangements, as most “expats” leave for the summer to escape the heat and return to their home countries to enjoy their holiday. Many of these animals are simply put down or released outside to be captured by compound pest control, get lost or perish for a variety of reasons.
Living off-compound and in a Riyadh street environment, Ms. Lauris is hopeful of succeeding in trying to help a few of the tamer local street cats to find loving homes. She has, with the help of volunteer local vets, spayed and neutered the cats in the immediate area. She has also concentrated on helping small colony of approximately 15-20 cats which remain, and which about half of could be tamed and rehomed. It is likely that she and her husband will permanently exit KSA within 4-6 months, and she is making every effort to try and help as many cats as she can before they leave.
Ms. Lauris will be travelling to Vancouver, BC, Canada on June 16, 2012 and has been preparing three of the most homeable cats for personal fostering in Vancouver, with the hope of continuing her rehoming efforts in Canada and the USA from there. She will be taking Jemma, Tom (Samir), and Jerry (Sultan) with her, pet escorting them on that date. These are three long-haired cats who have adapted to indoor life, are litter trained, and are now tame. Although all three still spook easily at loud noises or sudden movements, they are tame for indoor living and will quickly adapt to a loving home.
Travel costs (paper, flight) are about $400 each for pet escorted to Canada (probably would be about $1000 if shipped). Travel arrangements for one of the three cats being fostered has already been paid by kind donations from Ms. Gail Taylor of Egypt/UK, Ms. Sue Manley of White Rock, BC, and some miscellaneous anonymous donors in Saudi Arabia. If anyone else wishes to help with travel costs or are able to provide a foster home, or adoption home, for these or any of the remaining cats looking for homes, please contact her at Founder@emaurescue.org. Updates on these three fostered cats from Canada will be posted as information is made available, and this will also apply to remaining felines in KSA. If no homes or options are found by the fall, then the remaining KSA yard cats will have to live out their brief lives in harsh conditions. It is hoped to help at least 3-4 more of these cat if funds, fosters, or homing arrangements are fond and can be made.
It is believed that these KSA yard cats may be classified as Arabian Maus, which is a type of regional Middle Eastern cat coined by a concerned Dubai cat lover, and approved by the WCF (World Cat Federation). If so, then they will likely be regional ancient cats and perhaps even more exotic than those found in Egypt due to the current lack of understanding and information available on these cats. They have similar traits to the Egyptian cats (i.e., intelligent, loyal), however, more are Abyssinian in nature, typically with a sleek, longer body, long neck and legs, are slightly high strung, and with a large range of melodic vocalizations. They are rarely fully spotted, but are available in short-haired and long-haired versions, typically with white, black, or reddish fur.
Update June 15, 2012
Our EMRO outreach in Saudi Arabia is being acknowledged by these two corporate businesses:
Dr. Takura (Chief vet), Mr. Salem Ahmed Ali (Practice Manager)
Riyadh Veterinary Clinc, PO Box 246 Riyadh 11391, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, (Exit 9)
Tel 966-1-456-8736
EMail: riyadhvet@zajil.net
website: http://www.saudivets.com/clinic8%20Riyadh.htm
Kindly offer reduced rates for vet care for EMRO related stray cats, especially in travel documents and examinations.
Dr. Mamoun Shanti (Managing Director)
Life and Nature Pet Store and Wholesale Distributors
PO Box 3158 Riyadh 11471 Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (King Abdul Aziz Rd)
Tel: 966 1-453-1946
email: lifeandnature@yahoo.com
Website: http://lifeandnature.do-goo.net/ (Arabic only)
Dr. Shanti and his staff have kindly offered 10% discount of products and services to EMRO approved stray rescues, on receipt of printed cards by Life and Nature and stamped by EMRO for this purpose. They offer castration and spaying of street cats for just the cost of the ketamine (anesthesia). They are donating expired or soon to expire dry cat foods for the use of the yard cats in Riyadh under EMRO's supervision (whether Mau or not). They also offer at wholesale cost many other supplies and outdated items like tests, vaccines, etc. for use and exportation to Egypt's main shelter. They are assisting in any way they can to help with the stray cats for rehoming purposes and protection.
Our sincere thanks to these two businesses in their support of EMRO's outreach work in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (KSA)! If you are in Riyadh, please use our sponsor's services and let them know you appreciate their help to EMRO and the stray cats.
Also much thanks to Dr. Ingrid Galal, volunteer vet working independently in Riyadh for the help of cats and animals there and in Jeddah, volunteering her time and much of the supplies to help spay/neuter the stray cat population and rehome those who she can. If anyone wants to reach her, please contact Founder@emaurescue.org for details.
Dr. Ingrid (and originally Dr. Lana) helped to spay/neuter most of the yard cats under EMRO's care in Riyadh, at very little cost to EMRO, and also helped with checking on trapped cat's dental work, as required, and initial vaccinations in preparation for travel. We are very grateful for their invaluable support.
CASSIE |
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| Gender: |
Female - spayed & vaccinated |
| Age: |
3 years old |
| Comment: |
Friendly, sociable, adaptable. |
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JEMMA |
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| Gender: |
Female - spayed & vaccinated |
| Age: |
3 years old |
| Comment: |
Timid but loving, startles easily. Housebroken.
Long-haired Calico. |
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BUDDY |
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| Gender: |
Male - neutered & vaccinated |
| Age: |
2 years old |
| Comment: |
Friendly, busy, but a bit of an Alpha cat around others. Generally adoptable and sweet. Prefers outside with short visits inside. Can be picked up for short times. (Ideally to go with his best friend Bobby.) |
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BOBBY |
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| Gender: |
Male - neutered & vaccinated |
| Age: |
3 to 4 years old |
| Comment: |
Generally easy going, a bit timid but can be picked up for short times. (Ideally to go with Buddy.) |
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TOM |
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| Gender: |
Male - neutered & vaccinated |
| Age: |
2 years old |
| Comment: |
Friendly, loves to have his head butts and pets, never been inside a house, very sweet. (Ideally to go with his brother Jerry) |
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JERRY |
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| Gender: |
Male - neutered & vaccinated |
| Age: |
2 years old |
| Comment: |
Friendly, as above (Ideally to go with his brother Tom).
Long-haired and eye issue. |
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RIYADHA |
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| Gender: |
Female - spayed & vaccinated |
| Age: |
4 years old |
| Comment: |
Can be petted, rarely comes inside, loving and loyal. |
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HARRY |
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| Gender: |
Male - neutered & vaccinated |
| Age: |
1 year old |
| Comment: |
Chatty fellow, playful, almost able to pet him.
Long-haired. |
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For more information or pictures, please email Founder@emaurescue.org
(May 2012) |
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