Alba is yet another case of animal abuse. This young cat is part of a healthy and sterilised cat colony located in Mirdif, Dubai, posing no harm to anyone.
For many years now we have heard of terrible cases; cats being shot or tied up by ropes and dragged along the asphalt behind cars or puppies being hanged in packs... the list goes on. Are we simply at the cusp of another horrible social phenomenon yet to happen?
The UAE has an incredible Animal Welfare Law in place, created since 1972. So why are we accepting escalating violence towards animals?
In Alba’s case, we are left with three issues. We have the responsibility to raise Dh3,000 to treat an innocent animal that did no wrong to anyone, we have to make a huge effort to find her a home and worst of all, the community is once again left feeling hopeless and frustrated for having to accept yet another abuse case.
Alba was lucky that we found her when she was left abandoned behind bushes, weak, dehydrated and in severe, unnecessary pain. A quick x-ray at the veterinary clinic found a pellet and a very nasty fracture in a large area of the leg that contains nerves and blood vessels. A long surgical procedure took place to save Alba’s leg, which was an absolute challenge if we see the damage caused by the pellet’s impact.
Perhaps the cheapest option would have been to euthanise her. But why should we terminate her life just because she was a victim of humans’ uncaring attitude, or for a complicated fracture?
We made the harder decision of giving Alba a second chance. Raising enough money and finding her a home is a challenge that we were ready to take.
Alba is in urgent need of a loving home where she could have a dignified life for the rest of her days.
We also would like to warn people about similar cases of cruelty in their residential areas. Please keep your pets indoors and supervised. If you see something suspicious, please call the authorities. We can only make changes if we do something about it. Our cities are peaceful ones, and we want to keep it that way.
If you wish to help Alba financially or offer her a forever home, please contact us by email at info@friendsofanimalsdxb.com or call us at 0507887025.
The reader is the founder of The Animal Project, based in Dubai.
