Man uses home for rescued animals

Courtesy photos.

RIYADH: An expatriate here has turned his home into a sanctuary for lost and sick animals, including dogs, cats and birds.
Zaher Al-Sammak, a Palestinian computer engineer who was born in Riyadh, said he is committed to saving the lives of animals and called on others to do the same because this is advised in Islam, an online publication reported on Tuesday.
Al-Sammak said his parents had taught him when he was young to care for animals, particularly giving them leftover food. “At school as a child I was very happy when I could offer water or tuna fish to a sick cat on the street. I still get the same feeling now, it is how I was raised,” he said.
He said he often stops on the street to pick up a cat run over by a car and nurses it back to health. “One time I took a cat to the vet who told me its legs were broken and needed to be amputated. He did so and the cat still lives with me,” he said.
He said he became a regular at veterinarians, where he pays for the cost of treatment out of his own pocket. Al-Sammak said he dreams of owning his own shelter, where he can care for needy animals.
“Some think that keeping pets is just a hobby for me but it isn’t. I keep them because I feel sorry for them and want to help. I was evicted many times from apartments and rest houses because of my animals,” he said.
He said he would prefer a place where he can have sections for animals, such as a medical division for those that are sick and another for others needing special care. Many people approached him to adopt animals he has rescued, he said.
He said he uses social media to raise awareness, including Twitter, about the need to care for animals and not abuse them.
“Many citizens in Riyadh and outside the city have asked me to help them care for their sick animals. I go out to help them with medicine and food,” he said.