Two Dubai Police officers stepped in to help after finding the resident alone at the crash site and struggling to care for her dogs.
When Pakistani expat Lumia Khan was involved in a car accident on Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road on Monday, her immediate concern was not the damage to her vehicle or the paperwork ahead. Instead, she was worried about her two dogs travelling with her.
The accident happened as she was driving towards Mirdif to visit her parents. Although the collision left her shaken, she and her dogs escaped without physical injuries. However, her husky, Babush, and Australian shepherd, Aria, were visibly distressed by the impact.
“A vehicle banged into mine from behind and the impact was bad,” she told. “Physically we were all perfectly fine, but everybody was so disturbed, including me. I had to take charge because I had the dogs with me.”
What happened next, she said, restored her faith in the city she has called home all her life.
Police arrange pet ambulance
When Dubai Police arrived at the scene, two officers noticed that Lumia was alone and struggling to manage the accident while looking after her dogs. They immediately stepped in to assist her.
“The police came, and the two officers were the sweetest ever,” she said. “They looked after my dogs while I was dealing with the paperwork of the accident. They kept guiding me and making sure that I was not overwhelmed.”
One of the officers noticed that Babush was particularly distressed and immediately called for a pet ambulance, which arrived in less than 10 minutes.
In a gesture that Lumia found especially touching, the police also escorted the ambulance to the veterinary clinic.
“The police actually drove in front of the pet ambulance so that they could reach the clinic safely,” she said. “Instead of being traumatised, I was just grateful.”
Lumia later shared a video of the incident on her Instagram account.
A city that cares
Born in Khor Fakkan and raised in the UAE, Lumia said the experience reminded her of the importance the country places on the well-being of its residents and their pets.
“Living in this country, which is pet-friendly, is a blessing,” she said. “I immediately thought of some other cities in the world where it would be a struggle to get an ambulance for humans. I was so grateful that we live in the UAE.”
The accident happened at around 4pm. However, because the paperwork took longer than expected, Lumia could not return home early, leaving both dogs at the clinic overnight.
She said the officers had been exceptionally kind and supportive throughout the ordeal.
Overwhelmed and grateful
Lumia runs Furrari, a pet adventure company, and lives in JVC with her four dogs. She organises adventure trips for pet owners and is an active member of the UAE’s animal-loving community.
Her car, which she said was badly damaged in the collision, is still awaiting repairs.
But beyond the damage and inconvenience, the incident has left her with something more meaningful: a renewed appreciation for the city she calls home.
