The Woman Who Changed the Name and Fate of Bahrain’s Dogs

She refuses to call them stray or street dogs. For Sara, they are free dogs. In an exclusive interview with The Daily Tribune, she explained that it is a choice of words reflecting a journey shaped by compassion, loss and quiet defiance.

Sara is an engineer who arrived in Bahrain in 2015 to work with a company implementing Gulf support projects. One of the largest was the East Hidd housing project. As construction began, she noticed female dogs seeking shelter among unfinished villas, giving birth in corners meant for families yet to come. She began feeding the mothers so they could nurse their puppies, vaccinating them, and later finding adopters once the puppies were strong enough.

Pandemic

By 2020, during the Covid 19 pandemic, the number of dogs increased sharply. Births multiplied and Sara continued feeding them daily. One morning she arrived to find the puppies gone and their mother visibly distressed. After asking around, she learned that a private company had captured them and relocated them to an industrial area known as Askar or Ras Zuweid.

She drove there and was confronted by scenes she still struggles to describe. Emaciated and sick dogs drinking polluted water out of desperation. From that day, she committed herself to visiting Askar every Friday to feed and treat them, alongside continuing her work in East Hidd. 

Violence

On New Year’s Eve 2020, after residents began moving into East Hidd, a man attacked her while she was feeding dogs near unfinished homes. He threw stones at her and the animals, broke water containers and removed the food. After she posted the incident on TikTok, he filed a complaint against her and she was banned from entering the area. The following day, one of the dogs she had raised from birth was found killed. No action was taken despite a report.

Two days later, more than 200 dogs disappeared from East Hidd. She was told they had been moved to Askar.

Rescue

Since then, Sara has continued her work in Askar, where she also found abandoned pedigree dogs including Huskies and Arabian Salukis. Five Salukis were adopted and sent to the United States and Canada with the help of a friend. 

She now cares for 15 dogs in her own home. All food and treatment are paid for from her own pocket. Her proposal to authorities calls for sterilisation campaigns supported by veterinary clinics, with costs offset through tax deductions. In December and January alone, more than 50 puppies were born in Askar.

For Sara, the reason is simple. Love, mercy and the belief that animals understand intention. As she says, a dog knows whether the person in front of it comes to feed or to harm.