Can you find a place for us now?

Dubai: Pet owners wanting to take a holiday this summer will have to keep their animals at home - because the kennels are full.

Of the five main kenneling facilities in the UAE contacted by Gulf News, all were fully booked throughout July and August.

The Dubai Kennels & Cattery is fully booked until the end of August and has a waiting list of 100 families. Petzone in Dubai is also full for July and expects August to be the same. Dr Hardika Al Mehairi at the Al Zubair Animal Care centre, Ajman, said: "We are full at the moment for certain dates in July. People book for summer in January and as soon as summer is over they book for the Christmas period."

In Abu Dhabi, the American Veterinary Clinic Kennels is also fully booked till the end of August. Dubai's only dog charity rescue centre K9 is currently running at over-capacity, and has 90 dogs and almost 30 puppies in their care.

Barbara Murray, volunteer office manager at K9, said that they had sent some of their dogs to kenneling facilities, but had to take them back after they became full.

Many owners, she said, try to give their dogs to the charity when they cannot find kenneling."If owners can't find a kennel when they're going away and they can't re-home them and there are no friends that will take them, what is their option? We can't take any more dogs in, we're over capacity. The chances are that the dog will be put to sleep," she said.

The stray dog population in Dubai is compounded by the fact that owners cannot find anyone to care for their pets in summer and so release them outside. If owners do find a kennel for their pet, there are several vaccination certificates that should be requested.

Dr Martin Wyness, Veterinary Surgeon, British Veterinary Centre in Abu Dhabi, said: "When looking for a kennel for your pet, look for cleanliness and awareness of the staff. Look at whether the animals there look happy and content, whether they can interact and what the environment is like."

He said dogs should be vaccinated against distemper, hepatitis, parvo virus and rabies, while cats should have protection against cat flu and feline enteritis.

We can't take any more dogs in, we're over capacity. The chances are that the dog will be put to sleep."

Have your tried to keep your pets in such homes? What were the problems you faced? Have you ever had a bad experience with pet care homes? Tell us at letter2editor@gulfnews.com