UAE | General
With a big heart and open doors, rescuer Aisha shows the way
A peaceful walk in the garden, with ponies by your side and pugs chasing at your feet - this is what one should expect when entering Aisha Kelaif's home.
- By Huda Tabrez and Rabab Khan, Community Journalists
- Published: 23:41 November 15, 2008
- Aisha spends hours researching on animals to ensure she gives them the best care.
- Image Credit: Arshad Ali/Glf News
Dubai: A peaceful walk in the garden, with ponies by your side and pugs chasing at your feet - this is what one should expect when entering Aisha Kelaif's home.
The 43-year-old Emirati has rescued and fostered more than 90 animals in the past nine years.
A mother of three and a technical trainer by profession, Aisha spends hours researching on animals to ensure she gives them the best care.
She said: "I have received animals, brought into the country from different parts of the world. So it is very important for me to know about their habits and behaviour to be able to care for them."
As we walked into her home, four deer curiously stared back at us. A seemingly close-knit family, the one male and three female deer live in harmony.
Aisha said: "The male and two female deer were given to me by the owners who did not want them anymore."
Proceeding to the second room, we were welcomed by a perfectly sculpted gazelle.
Aisha said: "The last owner had bought the gazelle for his children. However, he felt that it was a bad idea and I agreed to take the gazelle in. We have taken good care of him and hopefully given him a good life."
The next shed held more surprises, as housed within were two alpacas, which originally come from cooler climes. Looking as surprised as us, they took several steps back towards the wall.
Aisha shears their coats herself, apart from taking care of their diet, housing and exercise.
"When I first got them, their coats were long and matted. Since the weather here is hot, they will not survive if their coats are not clipped. I keep this shed cooler than the rest," she added.
The entire area housing the deer, gazelle and alpacas is covered and has seven air-conditioners.
'Big electricity bill'
"It translates into a big electricity bill. However, if I am doing something, I should do it right," Aisha said.
We then entered another housing area across the garden, where Aisha kept rescued owls, along with other small animals.
She said: "I rescued one of the little owls from a boy who was taking them around in a small cage, two years ago."
We also had the pleasure of meeting Chewy, an unusually affable donkey. Aisha had rescued him from a stable in Ras Al Khaimah, three years ago. She got him operated. She now cleans his body and hooves regularly.
"People are ignorant about donkeys and assume that they will kick and bite," she said. This lack of awareness about animals is one of the biggest concerns for Aisha.
"Often, people buy animals because they look nice, but do not know what to do with them," she said.
Sher Hughes, a veterinary nurse, has helped Aisha take care of these animals. She echoes the same concern, having come across several instances where pets suffered due to the negligence of their owners.
She said: "There is so much ignorance and lack of sympathy among people. Instead of abandoning pets, they should know that it is all right to give them to someone who can offer better care."
With this passion to care for abandoned animals, Aisha continued to rescue them until she realised that she was running out of space.
"I own this villa and have made sheds for the animals here. However, some of them are not supposed to be kept in such confined spaces," she admitted.
Her main concern now is to get a bigger place where these animals can move around without any restrictions and enjoy their freedom.
Asked about her future plans, she spoke passionately about opening a sanctuary for rescued animals.
She said: "I hope to give these animals a better home. Animals are like people and have similar needs. The only difference is that they do not have a voice. I would like to be their voice and use the sanctuary to educate people and help them understand the needs of different species of wild animals."
She does not encourage people to give up their pets if they "lose interest". However, owners are sometimes unable to cope with their needs and Aisha wants to ensure that the pets are not abandoned.
Lifetime commitment
She added: "When someone gets a pet, he or she should know that it is a lifetime commitment, unless there is a valid reason to give the pet away."
She has faced considerable difficulties in making her dream project a reality.
"The sanctuary would require a lot of funds and I am already having trouble, meeting the current expenses. Additionally, the sanctuary can only be a success if there is a joint effort from all members of the community," she said.
As we ended the memorable trip, Aisha remained optimistic about the future of the rescued animals.
"Do let me know what can be done for these animals," she said.
The roster: Quite a collection
Some animals you may bump on to at the Kelaif residence:
- 2 dogs (pugs)
- 3 parrots
- 2 maras
- 2 ponies
- 5 tortoises and 3 turtles
- 6 goats, including two dwarf goats
- 1 German shepherd
- 5 iguana
- 5 cats
- 2 prairie dogs
- 6 sugar gliders
- 4 ferrets
- 1 squirrel
- 3 chinchillas
- 35 guineapigs
- 3 fish
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