Pet ostrich attacked with sharp object dies

A pet ostrich in Hulhumale’ has died as a result of injuries sustained in an attack using a sharp object last night.

The ostrich had died at approximately 5:30pm on Thursday evening, at the site where it was domesticated.

Ismail Shah, the owner of the ostrich, told Sun that it had been in good health as of yesterday. However, he detailed that the ostrich had sustained injuries to its legs during an attack carried out by a group of people in the early hours of Thursday.  

He described blows to the knee joint of the ostrich that had resulted in a twist and the knee joint sticking out of its body. 

Shah said veterinarians from Oasis vet clinic were brought to the site to treat the injured ostrich. However, the vets had concluded there could be nothing done.

“They suggested putting it down via injection, but I did not want to kill it that way,” he added.

The ostrich died after bleeding out, having received no further treatment.

Shah said approximately 100 people visit the site daily to see the ostrich. The attack came shortly after the ostrich was let out near the fence of the site, so visitors could clearly see the bird.

“It was kept much further inside previously. It has only been about two weeks since it was let out after installing a new fence approximately six feet from the original fence,” he said.

Shah said the ostrich was imported and domesticated at a huge expense. With issuance of permits to import such birds now at a halt, he described the loss of the ostrich as not only a huge loss to him, but also to members of the public who visited to see it.