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ESSENTIAL DESTINATIONS
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MONTH: June 2006
French veterinarian becomes legend in Saudi Arabia
JEDDAH––Asked by Arab News to comment about avian influenza H5N1, Tahlia International Veterinary Clinic owner Deborah Zahid was characteristically direct and professional.
“Most city dwellers don’t realize how much feces surround them every day,” Zahid remarked. Then Zahid described the fecal habits of caged pigeons.
Raised and educated in France, Zahid married into an influential Saudi family known for investments in the travel, transportation, and heavy equipment industries.
A small woman, she dresses conservatively, with just a wisp of blonde hair escaping from under her head covering in a much reprinted Arab News photo showing her with a baby bear. The photo was taken in May 2003 when Zahid donated emergency care to the neglected animals of the Jeddah Zoo, whose plight Arab News exposed.
Zahid says little about herself in frequent Arab News interviews. Her renowned Tahlia Clinic cannot even be found on the web–– but stays busy, with additional veterinarians helping Zahid to keep up with the work.
Her work includes adopting out dogs from her clinic and at times sterilizing feral cats for free, both still unusual practices in Saudi Arabia, taking the opportunity to educate the public about pet overpopulation. She denounces fur-wearing and animal trafficking, and rebukes exotic pet faddists.
Her most remarkable accomplishment, however, may have been persuading performing strongman Jalal Al-Gharbi to quit beheading and eating snakes as part of a nightclub act.
“Is he crazy? He is not normal. This is barbaric,” exploded Zahid when informed about the act by Arab News. “Instead of promoting our children’s education what Al-Gharbi and Al-Abraj (a rival) are doing is traumatizing them. I am going to do everything to stop it,” Zahid pledged. “It is against our religion, and it is hurting our children and the snakes. Admittedly,” Zahid added, “snakes are unpopular here, “but nonetheless they do still feel pain,” she pointed out.
Al-Gharbi had agreed to eat a live cobra next, but did not want to fight Zahid.
“Come to my show,” he told Arab News after hearing of her comments. “I won’t be killing any snakes, I promise. If you ever see me eat another snake, then proceed with complaints, but in the meantime,” he asked, “give me a chance to show my good intentions.”