WHO IS SHADI? WHAT MAKES A HERO? For 38 year old Jordanian, Shadi, the seed for his quiet heroism was planted when he was 8 years old – and out of a traumatic event. Shadi was out playing along a road near his home. A litter of very young puppies started following him, tumbling over one another playfully as they followed him into a field. Shadi’s joy with his new playmates was shattered in a horrifying few minutes when he encountered a group of teenager boys and they killed these puppies in front of his eyes, throwing them into the air and smashing them to death on the ground. Shadi believes that this terrible event led to who he is now; a hero that saves abused and abandoned dogs – currently around 40 of them! – although Shadi would never label himself as a ‘hero’; to him, he’s just doing what he feels he must to save other dogs from the cruel fate those long-ago puppies suffered. He keeps them on his 5000 square meter farm that his father gave to him – along with 22 goats and his beloved dog, Zeeko. Shadi is still mourning the loss of his other best canine buddy, a German Shepard named Maximus, who was stolen from him. Shadi tells of how much he misses Maximus: “…he was my heart and everything for me, he was stolen. I believe losing him smashed me and broke me to pieces. I’m still looking for him since 24th july 2013. And ever since I visit the dogs’ market downtown (an area of old downtown Amman that is notorious for being a place where thieves sell pets that they have stolen) searching for him and see if someone is offering him for sale” Losing Maximus is not the only challenge he’s had recently: two of the farm’s greenhouses were destroyed in the heavy snow this winter, he lost his job, and went through a divorce. Shadi, again, tells me how he found comfort from Zeeko and Maximus: “…i started working in my farm in 2012, my business was collapsing and went through a divorce, and the only creatures stood by me were my dogs, Zeeko and Maximus…” Despite his own life being in shambles, Shadi reached out to take care of those even less fortunate than himself – abused and abandoned dogs, bringing them to his farm and caring for them as if they were his own until they can find adoptive forever homes. “In 2012 i started fixing the land and put a fence around it and made a small house and had my first 3 adopted dogs from the humane center in Amman, after that I kept getting stray dogs from anywhere i find them in need.” Shadi passionately tells me that his dream is “… is to see each dog with a loving family that he can see every time he misses them. A dog needs a chance to be a member of a family and he gives his life for that cause! We should grant them that.” “Most of the dogs are rescued by me. Sometimes I find kids abusing a dog or a puppy, pulling it in the street with a wire and kicking it. Sometimes I take it for free after asking them to give it to me. Sometimes I buy it for a very cheap price, and sometimes friends rescue a dog and can’t find a home for it so I take it and keep it until someone adopts or shows interest. Some of them were rescued from harsh situations that would led them to death. For example, there is this female dog with her 3 pups left after kids burned her other puppies. I took her to the farm and she is fine with her 3 puppies. She is a unique case because she still cares for them even though they don’t drink milk from her and they have now grown as big as her. Most of the dogs I rescue have been abused.” Shadi’s own life is slowly rebuilding; he’s remarried and has a baby daughter. His cousin helps out with the farm and dogs when Shadi is away. But he’s still unemployed. But Shadi still finds ways to rescue and care for many dogs, although it’s a struggle for him. I asked Shadi what it costs to feed the dogs each week and how he manages to do it: He says that it costs 50-60JD per week ($70 - $85) just to buy kibble for them. In addition to the kibble, one time per week he provides them with nutritious raw chicken backs, necks and bones that he picks up from the places who make shwarma. (meat pressed together on a spindle that is roasted, shaved off and served in sandwiches at restaurants) Shadi says that if he had freezers, he could get more chicken from the shwarma shops. Shadi sometimes gets help from people who hear about his work -- sometimes a little money, sometimes a donation of some kibble – but the burden is mostly on himself. He needs OUR help. WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP THIS QUIET HERO AND THE DOGS HE’S RESCUING? 1) ADOPT OR HELP FIND ADOPTIVE HOMES FOR THESE DOGS – EITHER IN JORDAN OR INTERNATIONALLY 2) DONATE MONEY OR KIBBLE 3) DONATIONS OF USED WORKING FREEZERS 4) DONATIONS OF MONEY FOR THE DOGS’ VET BILLS 5) DONATE OLD BLANKETS FOR BEDDING 6) DONATE BUILDING MATERIALS SO HE CAN MAKE DOG HOUSES AND A LARGE KENNEL AREA 7) DONATION OF YOUR TIME TO HELP BUILD THESE AND TO HELP IN OTHER WAYS: “MY FARM IS OPEN FOR EVERYONE WHO WISHES TO COME AND VISIT AND HELP FEED AND PLAY WITH THE DOGS” Yes, Shadi is a hero to these dogs but WE can be heroes, too! Each of us has something we can give to this noble effort. We can give whatever we can to help him save these dogs and care for them until they each find their own loving, forever homes. Please contact us if you can help in any way. Thank you! Watch this video of Shadi and the dogs hes rescued from abuse on his farm
Posted on: Sun, 23 Mar 2014 20:06:04 +0000
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