I'm not a pet owner myself, nor did I obsess over that cute, white Frenchie pug looking dreamily at me in a shop two months ago. My history with animals dates back more than a decade ago, when I was still living at my parents' house. The household was co-habiting with just a few pets: a dog, a turtle and two or three cats.

I did try raising a lovebird, when I started living on my own, but he ended up alone and lonely most of the time, and eventually died.

So, I thought raising pets alone is not a great idea either for me or for the animals. But I still do have a heart, and it breaks every time I hear those horrible stories of animals dying painfully. If you've seen that rascally yellow Labrador in the movie Marley & Me, you know what I'm talking about.

Animals are like humans in the way that they need adequate attention, food, water, shelter and medical care. They experience pain and emotions, and go through the same diseases that afflict us.

Peace of mind

We've heard horrific stories of animals going under the knife: a cat having hip surgery after a hit-and-run or a dog being operated on for kidney problems. And, as with human medicine, these medical procedures are very expensive. I wasn't surprised to learn that a pet owner in Dubai spent more than Dh30,000 just to restore her pet's broken leg!

That's why for many animal lovers, the health of their pets is as important as their own. To cope with debilitating medical bills, people get insurance policies. So, if humans get medical insurance, should animals get one, too? Sounds logical, doesn't it?

Pet insurance is not new. In fact, it is the most claimed insurance worldwide. Plans are very similar to people's medical insurance. They provide cover for accidents and illnesses, and cover different kinds of animals like birds, horses, cats, dogs, reptiles and hamsters.

Pet insurance is big in the United Kingdom and United States. The trend hasn't spread so much to Dubai — at least, not any more.

Jacky Menhennet, an expat from Malta, had insured her two dogs for three years through Royal Alliance, but was told recently that the company is not renewing pet insurance in the UAE.

"We are very wary of adopting any more animals because the vet bills here are horrendous," she says.

I've talked to several major insurance companies here to inquire about it. All of them confirmed they're not offering the product. One employee even laughed when I raised the subject. Apparently, pet insurance isn't a profitable business in the UAE.

Wayne Massingham, director of Protectapet Insurance, a company based in Spain, has been considering the introduction of pet insurance into the UAE, as he spent ten years in Abu Dhabi in the 80s. He advises animal lovers to get their pets insured so that they will have peace of mind in knowing that in the event of an accident or illness, most costs, including medication, will be covered under the policy.

"When one considers that this is akin to human medical insurance, it is not surprising that the cost of treatment, which is very similar to the treatment for humans, is expensive. Owning a pet is like having another member of the family with a lifespan of 10 to 15 years for dogs and if that were translated into human terms, illnesses will occur," says Massingham.

I'm not privy to how it works exactly, or if there's a way for UAE residents to get coverage from an insurance provider based abroad, but, if you have a pet, it's probably worth looking into, maybe better than just having a rainy day fund.