Social media in Qatar has been abuzz with images and video showing a flock of more than 20 sheep running down a lane of one of the busiest highways in the country.
Different film clips feature the sheep, which are apparently unaccompanied and appear to have escaped, shuffling along Doha’s Salwa Road together in a group yesterday afternoon.
In one video, an unnamed driver who filmed the unusual procession can be heard shouting “mash’Allah” as he and other vehicles pass the woolly commuters.
In a separate video sent to Doha News and taken by Abdulmunim Kelzieh, the driver laughs at the novelty of seeing the sheep heading down Salwa.
It is not known what happened to the animals after they were spotted in the online footage, and if they were safely rescued from the highway.
Theories and jokes
While it is common to see livestock such as camels, goats and sheep on Qatar’s roads, they are usually being transported in the back of a pick-up truck, not running free alongside the traffic.
On Twitter, commenters pointed out that with only around 10 days left of Ramadan and the fast approach of the Eid al Fitr holiday, as well as it being just over a month until Eid Al Adha (festival of the sacrifice), the sheep could have been on their way to Widam’s slaughter houses in nearby Abu Hamour.
Sheep left loose on Salwa Road today. Probably escaping before Eid Al Adha season. #dohatraffic 🌙🌙🌙 pic.twitter.com/Gcxpx32xqQ
— Hooriya Hussain (@hooriyahussain_) July 6, 2015
Because the animals were staying in their lane, some on Facebook joked that the sheep followed better road etiquette than most Doha motorists.
What’s your take on sheep parade? Thoughts?
Wish I was there, could have taken one of the sheep home as a pet. Perhaps they were running down the road as a sign of protest, can’t be good for the morale if your future holds nothing but a trip to the slaughter house.
Sheep are not pets. They are meant to be eaten 🙂
Sharks think like you, too. Men aren’t pets, they are meant to be eaten.
This is called the food chain, though I doubt sharks are interested in men. I am sure they prefer other fish. But hey, do you have issues with how nature was conceived by God? If you do then you must be leading a miserable life 🙂
So it’s OK then to eat pork, dogs, cats and rats? All further down the chain and “created by a god”.
Oh come on! Humans eat some animals and breed others for transportation or hunting or farming etc. Every animal plays a role and some of them do not a play any role for us humans but are important for other animals.
Everyone is different Yaccine and called to God in different ways. Some people believe God put animals on the earth so humans could eat them, others believe God put other life on this planet for us to look after and not eat and so are vegetarian. Why should you assume because someone believes differently they have a miserable life?
Misery loves company.
I have an issue with that. By your logic plants are also living creatures. So shouldnt people stop eating plants as well.
My logic is my logic and real to me -and yours to you. You are welcome to have an issue with anything i comment and believe-this is your right.
Have you seen lady Gaga walk her pet sheep 🙂
Nope I stopped reading anything about her after her meat dress.
That was obnoxious indeed.
hahahahahaha…..a mass protest against Kafala….salute to the sheeps.
Spain has it’s Running of the Bulls. Doha has the Running of the Sheep!
“Because the animals were staying in their lane, some on Facebook joked that the sheep followed better road etiquette than most Doha motorists.” brilliant!
Sheep are much SMARTER than the average Qatari and the whole world know that …ha ha ha !!!
That is neither true nor civil.
Absolutely, I have yet to see a sheep using a Galaxy/ i-phone – let alone driving and using one.
Great headline! haha
Fine every one of them for crawling in the outside lane.
I’d love to see the face on Landcruiser Man furiously flashing his lights behind them!
They must have been running away from their abusive sponsor. Now they can be termed as “absconding”
Give them all driving licences, they are more worthy of them.
Better still, recruit them into the traffic police, the sheep seem to have a better understanding of the road rules.
Could they be described as a Nissan Baa-trol?
Sheep gone astray! Seems they don’t like their pastor and looking for a better one. But hey there, did all of you got your NOC? Otherwise you should wait 10 long years!