Stray camels danger to motorists

Stray camels on Al Dhaid Road prompted warnings to drivers from Sharjah Police. Thaer Zriqat / The National

SHARJAH // Motorists have been warned to beware of stray animals on roads.

The warning came after camels were seen wandering on Al Dhaid Road, which connects Sharjah with the central and eastern regions of the emirate.

In February, a man and his two wives were injured when their car hit a runaway horse in the Al Khuwaneej area of Dubai.

Police said that motorists should slowly come to a halt if a stray is in the road. “It’s dangerous to keep driving when there are stray animals on the road as motorists cannot predict what the animal’s actions would be,” said Lt Saoud Al Shiba of Sharjah traffic police.

“Motorists should park their cars, and refrain from using the horn or hazard lights so that they do not startle the animal. They need to stay inside their cars until the animal is out of their way, before they continue on their journey,” he said.

A spokesman for Al Batayeh Municipality said that fences were erected to keep animals from wandering on to the roads.

“Every once in a while, animals make their way to the main road. Once the municipality receives a complaint, teams get the animals off the road and then impound them,” he said. “The owner of the stray animal is fined Dh1,000 and, if he fails to pay the fine, the animal will be sold through auction.”

Authorities in Ras Al Khaimah have built an underpass on Al Shuhada Road for camels. This was in response to the 213 accidents last year that involved stray animals in the northern emirate.