Concern over 100 dogs that have been 'evicted'

Dubai: Volunteers at Dubai's non-profit dog rescue organisation have voiced their concern over Dubai Properties' decision to ban all pets, excluding goldfish, from Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR).

K9 Friends, which is already running above capacity, is concerned JBR pet owners will flock to the charity to offload pets no longer welcome in the development.

Barbara Murray, Volunteer Office Manager at K9, said people should advertise their pets rather than rely on the charity, which caters specifically to homeless dogs found abandoned on the street.

She said: "We have no space to take in any more dogs. Where will these dogs go? What are people living in JBR going to do with their pets?"

"I would understand if the developers had brought in a no-pets rule for those about to move into JBR or if they refused to allow existing residents to bring in any more pets.

"But to just turn around and create a rule is nonsense. The rules should have been enforced from the very beginning."

Some JBR residents say the no-pets clause has always been stipulated in the contract but others, including Kim, a volunteer at K9, say they have never had any correspondence from Dubai Properties on the issue.

Kim told Gulf News: "There is clearly very little communication between the developers and the landlords. There is no cohesion; they need to get together and figure this whole mess out."

K9 has a priority list and adds photographs and details of dogs waiting to be homed onto charity notice boards on a daily basis.

Chained to gate

Murray said: "There have been times when we have arrived for work in the morning and found dogs tied to the gate, including on one occasion a pregnant mother."

"We are a shelter for dogs that have been abandoned or that have got lost. It is not our responsibility to place dogs that people can't look after or don't want anymore.

"We reckon there could be well over 100 dogs currently living at JBR and they might all have to leave.

"Our main worry is that we don't have enough space to take in one more dog, let alone another 100."