You’ve probably heard of tuxedo cats, but how about a tuxedo dog? My name’s Shahem, and I’m a dapper 8-month-old pup from Amman, Jordan. I come ready-dressed in tux and tail for fancy and fun occasions, and I would be thrilled to accompany you anywhere, anytime. Will you do me the honor of having me at your side from now on?
A long time ago in dog months, but really not all that long ago, a family took me home with them as a little puppy. To them I was a cute plaything, a living teddy bear, but then I got bigger. Soon my family wanted nothing more to do with me and I was dumped in an unfamiliar place, far from my home. Too many hard days and nights later, some people discovered me trying to find shelter in their garden. I was very skinny and covered with scabs and scars. Their neighbor, a woman named Maha, has rescued many dogs, so they called her over to see me. Maha knew I was a stray pup in danger—in Amman, police shoot dogs like me.
Luckily, Maha turned out to be my guardian angel! She fed me a hearty meal, cleaned me up, and treated my wounds. After my bath and brushing, Maha pronounced me a most handsome boy, and I felt wonderful too. Since I no longer had to worry about sheer survival, my playful nature came out. Maha scratched me behind the ears as she told me my fate: to become part of a family again, but this time, for good! Maha and her fellow animal rescuer Jumana tried to find me a home in Jordan, but no one wanted an adolescent, mixed-breed dog, no matter how loving and lovable. When they heard a willing flight buddy was headed to Chicago, they told me this was my chance to find a new life in America, with the help of ISDF!
Maha and Jumana made sure I had all of my vaccinations and had me neutered. They sent me to boarding school for dogs so I could learn how to interact with my own kind too. I’ve loved getting to play with my new dog friends, and I’ve been happy to let other dogs take the lead. I’m calm for my age with a medium energy level, and should do very well with children, but cats are still mysteries to me. I’m confident that I will have house-training down in little time, and that I’ll make an all-around excellent companion. I hope you’ll let me show you what a charming partner I can be!
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Jordan is the most welcoming country to refugees in the entire Middle East, but very inhospitable to its own dogs. Amman was a site of human settlement as far back as 7250 B.C., and dogs have likely lived here in uneasy coexistance for just as long. The great prophet Mohammad and founder of Islam was said to have advocated kindness towards all animals, but for centuries now, religion has been used to label dogs as unclean, as vermin instead of as a friend to man.
Street dogs have never been safe here, and this past fall, the situation worsened dramatically after the death of a toddler from untreated rabies. In his radio-broadcasted response to the little girl’s death, Jordan’s highest religious authority, the Grand Mufti, stated that it is justified to kill an attacking dog. Misinterpretation of the Grand Mufti’s statement as a religious fatwa calling for the death of all dogs, no matter how friendly, led to a deluge of killings by snipers, mass poisonings, and bludgeoning of any and all dogs found on the street. Thousands of dogs have been slaughtered, and all dogs on the street suffer from violence and neglect, their lives at great risk.
Although some wealthy Arabs now buy expensive “purebred” dogs as status symbols and for protection, and more European and American expats keep dogs as pets (often to abandon them when they leave the country), far fewer people are willing to adopt puppies from the street. Mixed adult dogs like Shahem are seen as unworthy of any kindness, and Jordan’s volunteer animal advocates face an almost insurmountable battle in finding them homes. Partnering with ISDF will unite a lucky handful of dogs with American families while focusing light on the many threats Jordan’s dogs face.
If you are interested in adopting SHAHEM, please contact Dawn Trimmel at info@istreetdog.com. You can also find our adoption application here.