An abandoned dog that was beaten, starved and abused is now in the care of Sheikha Latifa bint Ahmed Al Maktoum.
Midnight, a black mixed-breed dog, was saved by Bubbles Pet Rescue after being spotted on the streets in Sharjah with her puppies.
According to the group, she was dumped by her owner after she was overbred to make money from selling her offspring.
Tossed into the street, Midnight stayed outside of what was her home for nearly two years. She was never allowed to return to the house and only survived by hiding under trees and being fed by kind-hearted passers-by and local residents.
She also faced abuse from others who threw rocks and sticks at her and her puppies. After being rescued, Midnight's babies were all adopted and she found a foster home.
After undergoing a routine spay operation, vets found a tumour on her ovary. Midnight survived a tricky operation and her foster mum helped her recover.
When Midnight's time in foster care came to an end, she was destined for the kennels. However, that's when Sheikha Latifa, stepped in.
The dog is now under the royal's care and is undergoing training to help her overcome her fears and regain confidence.
The niece of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, shared a video on her own Instagram account showing her gently stroking Midnight under the chin.
"Sheikha Latifa is such a humble and kind princess. She has been following Midnight's story every single day since she was rescued back in April," a representative from Bubbles Pet Rescue told The National.
"It's indescribable, we are not only so happy for Midnight to finally experience love but also this is a great example for our nation. It inspires others to do the same, to rescue a dog instead of buying one. Hopefully others will see this as an example that breed doesn't matter."
Sheikha Latifa is an equestrian athlete and has a long-running affinity with both dogs and horses, as evident by her Instagram posts.
In a video shared online by Bubbles Pet Rescue, Midnight is seen learning how to take food from a trainer.
“This is a dream come true for Midnight. To be heard, to be seen, to be loved and to be wanted!” said the organisation on Instagram.
Earlier this year, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, also rescued a stray dog from Bubbles Pet Rescue.
Grace, a saluki mix, was found wounded in the Al Barashi area of Sharjah after being shot several times with an air gun. Pellets were found lodged in her skull, in both eye sockets, the neck, chest and back legs
After posting about Grace on Instragram, Bubbles Pet Rescue were contacted by officials from the Crown Prince’s court and Sheikh Hamdan took the dog into his care.
The Dubai royal later posted a heart-warming video on Instagram of him out walking a happy looking Grace.
