PETALING JAYA: While veterinary medicine is as important for animal life as doctors are for humans, it is sad that veterinarians, especially Muslim ones are often trolled on social media for treating certain animals such as dogs, even though it is their professional responsibility to do so.
Yet, some rise above such trolls and gain public respect for their professionalism. One such veterinarian is Dr Aina Insyirah Roszizul Kahairi, who works for a private veterinary clinic in Shah Alam.
She said the prejudice against Muslim veterinarians is unwarranted because the religion prescribes a cleansing ritual after touching or treating an animal that is considered haram (forbidden).
“It is difficult to challenge the prejudices of some, who are stuck with a certain mindset, although more educated Muslims understand our work as veterinarians and appreciate that our patients happen to be all kinds of animals.”
Aina Insyirah said ethically, if an animal is sick, veterinarians have to give their best to make it well again.
“Animals cannot tell us how they were injured or where it hurts, so we have to touch them as part of the examination,” she told theSun.
She said there were times when even her extended family members criticised her choice of profession.
“I always tell them that it is my responsibility to look after animals and if there is a dog that came in for treatment, I have to treat it instead of watching it from afar, while it whimpers in pain.
“If I come into contact with their saliva and excrement, the area that touched them will be cleansed once with water that is mixed with soil and cleaned again six more times with clean water. This religious observance is called sertu.”
Serv-U Veterinary Clinic and Surgery and Trio Veterinary Clinic and Surgery founder Dr Salehatul Khuzaimah Mohamad Ali said she still receives negative comments from relatives and outsiders regarding her choice to become a veterinarian.
Salehatul Khuzaimah, who is known by the handle @drima_vet has a strong following on TikTok with 277,000 followers.
She said: “Whenever I share videos related to my job, such as how to approach and handle dogs, it becomes a taboo subject as some people cannot accept that I have to hold the animals with my bare hands.”
Salehatul Khuzaimah said someone else’s opinions or prejudices will not make her start to discriminate against dogs.
“If people take the trouble to understand animals, they will realise that dogs too have feelings and need someone in my profession to help them. And I will continue doing so because of my love for animals, my responsibilities as a veterinarian, and my strong faith in being a good Muslim.”
Salehatul Khuzaimah also said the lack of humanity is the reason why cases of mistreatment towards dogs involve the non-Muslim communities as well.
She said she was pleasantly surprised by the change in the mentality of the people around her about dogs following the Batang Kali landslide incident on Dec 16.
“Even in the comment section of my TikTok account, I noticed several positive responses. Those who were initially afraid of dogs have started to treat them with respect and recognise the good in these animals.”
