Stray dog menace on Qatar's world-class cycling paths has become a major concern of late. A Doha resident and avid cyclist was injured on Friday when he fell off his bicycle upon being chased by a stray dog on the Olympic Cycling Track at Al Khor in the vicinity of Al Bayt Stadium.
Apart from bruises on his knees and back, the Indian expatriate who regularly cycles around Qatar, said he also had three stitches on his forehead and suffered from a dislocated shoulder.
"Though it was not the first time that a pack of stray dogs chased me during my bicycle rides, in this incident I was caught unawares by a dog which suddenly appeared behind and ran into me, causing me to look back and fall," he recalled.
“Luckily, there were cyclists behind who helped me, called an ambulance, and applied first-aid before I was taken to the Al Khor Hospital,” he told Gulf Times, describing the incident “a harrowing experience.” His bike was also damaged.
He said that while some of the cycling tracks are fenced, stray dogs sometimes manage to enter through at some places but are unable to go out and start chasing cyclists who pass by.
“I think the authorities concerned should act urgently to prevent such incidents. Many stray dogs also roam around the cycling track near the Lusail Stadium, from Barwa Village to Wakra Stadium, a track near the Old Airport, and near Al Bayt Stadium.
“Sometimes you’ll notice some of these dogs hiding in bushes, maybe because they’re looking for food, and then they’ll suddenly appear and chase people who either cycle or jog,” he said, adding that some areas at the Industrial Area in Doha (Street 52 in particular) are also infested with stray dogs.
A professional cyclist in Doha also shared a similar experience saying that he was also chased by a number of stray dogs while having a regular ride at the Olympic Cycling Track.
A Filipino expatriate, also a cycling enthusiast, told Gulf Times that he often encounters stray dogs while doing his night rides at the Al Thumama bike lane and in other locations, including at the Ras Bu Fontas (Metro station) area.
“It usually happens to cyclists here and there was a time when three (of the seven) dogs chased me so I had to cycle as fast as I could. At one time, I saw a pack of dogs along my way and I had to look for another route so I could avoid them,” he added.
"Though it was not the first time that a pack of stray dogs chased me during my bicycle rides, in this incident I was caught unawares by a dog which suddenly appeared behind and ran into me, causing me to look back and fall," he recalled.
“Luckily, there were cyclists behind who helped me, called an ambulance, and applied first-aid before I was taken to the Al Khor Hospital,” he told Gulf Times, describing the incident “a harrowing experience.” His bike was also damaged.
He said that while some of the cycling tracks are fenced, stray dogs sometimes manage to enter through at some places but are unable to go out and start chasing cyclists who pass by.
“I think the authorities concerned should act urgently to prevent such incidents. Many stray dogs also roam around the cycling track near the Lusail Stadium, from Barwa Village to Wakra Stadium, a track near the Old Airport, and near Al Bayt Stadium.
“Sometimes you’ll notice some of these dogs hiding in bushes, maybe because they’re looking for food, and then they’ll suddenly appear and chase people who either cycle or jog,” he said, adding that some areas at the Industrial Area in Doha (Street 52 in particular) are also infested with stray dogs.
A professional cyclist in Doha also shared a similar experience saying that he was also chased by a number of stray dogs while having a regular ride at the Olympic Cycling Track.
A Filipino expatriate, also a cycling enthusiast, told Gulf Times that he often encounters stray dogs while doing his night rides at the Al Thumama bike lane and in other locations, including at the Ras Bu Fontas (Metro station) area.
“It usually happens to cyclists here and there was a time when three (of the seven) dogs chased me so I had to cycle as fast as I could. At one time, I saw a pack of dogs along my way and I had to look for another route so I could avoid them,” he added.