Armed gunmen kill 29 dogs and injure countless others in Qatar

The incident was described as ‘horrific’ by eyewitnesses

One of the dogs that survived has a bullet wound in its neck (pictured) (Facebook)

A group of armed men stormed a secure area in Qatar and killed 29 dogs and injured others over claims the animals had bitten someone’s child.

The armed thugs threatened security staff with weapons and then entered the secure factory colony - an area where stray and dogs can be fed, neutered and looked after by the community.

The unidentified men proceeded to shoot 29 dogs, including puppies, left several others badly injured, Doha-based rescue charity PAWS Rescue Qatar confirmed on social media.

The men claimed they attacked the facility and shot the dogs because one of the pooches had bitten one of the gunman’s young children.

A source told The Independent the the incident was “horrific” and people were running for cover as the group of men shot at the defenceless animals.

Another one of the pooches has a bullet wound in its leg (Facebook)

They said: “The men came on the first day of Eid so it was very quiet and that’s why I think they picked that time because they knew they were less likely to be caught.

“They threatened the security guards with weapons and then people were running for cover and scared for their lives. It’s absolutely horrific, but it happens quite regularly here and nothing is ever done.

“It’s dogs that are specifically targeted and people are shooting them with weapons, it’s absolutely awful.”

The source added that after the violent incident a number of animals have still not been found, and locals fear they are hiding, possibly with terrible injuries.

To own a gun in Qatar you have to obtain a licence from the Ministry of Interior (MOI). You have to be over the age of 21 and also not have a criminal record. However you aren’t allowed to brandish your gun in public, even if you have a licence.

Our source told us that people who have managed to get a permit for a gun often claim they have it for hunting, but will use the weapon to attack stray dogs and that many rescue shelters in Qatar house animals with bullet wounds.

They added: “The government needs to take action to ensure animal welfare and people shouldn’t be allowed to roam the streets with guns and target dogs or any other creature.”

The Independent has approached the Qatar Government Communications Office for comment.

Qatar will host the football World Cup later this year.