A stray dog may be to thank for saving an abandoned baby in Lebanon’s northern city of Tripoli. The incident also raises awareness of the larger overlapping crises faced by the country’s population. Lebanon has been experiencing an economic downturn, which has worsened the state of both child and animal welfare throughout the nation.
The dog was spotted carrying a black garbage bag that had been abandoned outside a municipal building in the Al-Tal neighborhood. In doing so, the pooch called attention to what was inside the plastic — a baby girl. According to The National, a person passing by heard the baby’s cries from within the bag. After which, the passerby retrieved the sack from the dog, uncovering the infant. The child was then carried to the Islamic Charity Hospital. The baby — who had abrasions and red bruises across her entire face and body — was then transferred to the Tripoli Government Hospital.
News outlets have been divided as to the baby’s age. While Arab News reports the child was orphaned within hours of her birth, The National states the baby is approximately four months old.
Wednesday was the start of the Islamic New Year. As such, many government facilities and public institutions were shuttered in celebration. Despite limited access to sources, multiple media outlets reported the hospital has declared the baby to be in a stable, although serious, condition.
At this time, both the reason for the abandonment and the identity of the perpetrator are still unknown. Accordingly, police are continuing to investigate the incident and are looking for leads.
In the meantime, the baby will continue to recover at the hospital. Many offers for adoption have flooded social media since the news broke. Whether they are serious remains to be seen. If not, the child will likely be placed in an orphanage.
