Dubai: At least 29 dogs, including puppies, have been shot dead in Qatar, sparking outrage across the country, Qatari media reported.
According to an animal rescue centre, a group of armed men reportedly stormed a local factory and shot dead 29 dogs and injured others.
People all around the country have expressed shock and concern about the occurrence, which took place on the first day of Eid.
The incident was denounced as “unacceptable” on Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani’s Instagram page, but the authorities have not yet commented on the situation.
Before breaking into the building, the assailants barged into a heavily guarded production area and intimidated the security personnel. One of the dogs, according to the shooters, bit their sons.
“Security team was rightfully scared as two of the men were holding guns. The security team tried to stop the men from shooting a group of beautiful, friendly neutered dogs, but they realised that they were also putting themselves in danger also,” local PAWS Rescue Qatar said in a post on Instagram.
The men then shot 29 dogs and puppies and injured others in front of security, leaving the scared security staff to clean up a terrible mess.
According to PAWS, one dog is battling for its life in the hospital.
The slaughter was condemned as a “barbaric act and menace to Qatari society” by animal rights and sustainability brand Roni Helou in response to the shelter’s social media post. Roni Helou asked the government to launch an investigation and bring the perpetrators to justice.
“It doesn’t matter what country they are from; the people who shamelessly slaughtered the pets must be thrown in jail. The statement stated, “Whoever can murder an animal without batting an eye, can easily kill a human being."
According to local legislation, it is necessary to get a license from the interior ministry in order to own a handgun in Qatar. Depending on the kind of firearm, penalties for possessing unlicensed guns in Qatar can include fines of 1,000 QAR to 50,000 QAR and/or jail terms of one year to seven years.
