Meet the woman changing the face of animal adoption in Saudi Arabia

➤Mayaser Bundagji has helped more than 3,000 pets find new homes.

Mayaser Bundagji says more animals are being given up by their owners during the Covid-19 pandemic. Saleh Fareed for The National

When Mayaser Bundagji’s beloved husky puppy Lio went missing five years ago, she took to social media to look for any sign of him.

Little did she know this small act would be the beginning of a journey that would see her find homes for more than 3,000 abandoned animals.

“I contacted social media accounts for those who were interested in animals and I found also animals being offered for adoption,” Mrs Bundagji told The National.

She said many of the animals listed on sites like Facebook had been left to fend for themselves while their owners went travelling, or abandoned completely.

The plight of these animals tugged on Mrs Bundagji’s heartstrings, as she has loved animals from a young age.

Even though she found Lio, Mrs Bundagji felt the need to to set up her own animal shelter in Jeddah, which she named Coexistence with Me.

“The idea was initially denounced by some, but with time it began to find acceptance and understanding of what is meant by the term adoption,” she said.

In Saudi Arabia, pet ownership is a relatively new phenomenon and there are few official shelters for animals whose owners can no longer care for them.

“Many people do not like the idea of caring for pets at home,” Mrs Bundagji said.