Dallas Welcomes Its Newest Citizen: A Dog Rescued from Iran
Shellman, a female German shepherd mix has traveled a long way to find a safe home in Dallas. The two-year-old dog was found wandering the streets of Tehran, Iran, and was facing possible execution when she was rescued and brought to Texas.
People aren’t the only ones who have found their land of opportunity in America. Shellman and a group of about 80 dogs have made the journey to North America and Europe for refuge during the past three years following a decree which claimed that under Iranian law, dogs are unclean and should not be kept as pets.
Shellman, the two-year old German shepherd mix, recently journeyed from halfway around the world to the SPCA of Texas in west Dallas after spending one year in an Iranian shelter. Throughout Iran, reports are heard of police confiscating dogs from owners and of police shooting strays.
According to SPCA of Texas President James Bias, this is the first rescue to come across international borders. While Bias says that all of the pets at the SPCA have stories, this is a truly unique one.
Since it opened in 2003, the Vafa shelter where Shellman was rescued in Iran has been a sanctuary for the overpopulation of dogs, but the past decade has also forced the shelter to deal with growing government restrictions. The Iranian government has tolerated pet ownership in the past, but in 2011 a still-pending law was proposed that, if passed, would ban dogs entirely and criminalize dog ownership.
The SPCA of Texas has expressed a willingness to offer asylum for more dogs from Iran, but they do not expect to have the resources to make a significant impact. Although the SPCA has only done a small part to improve the situation for dogs in Iran, they’ve made a tremendous impact in the life of one dog.
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+Patrick Glaros empowers people to find their best home loan option. Through planning and education, and a goal-oriented approach, Patrick and the team at Dallas Mortgage Planners have one common goal: Help clients make an informed decision to choose the best home loan for their unique situation. Find other articles written by Patrick.
