Dubai: The UAE currently enforces Federal Law No 16 series of 2007 and Ministerial Decision No (384) of 2008 issued by the Ministry of Environment and Water (MoEW) to ensure animal welfare is respected.
Animal Welfare Units attached to the Animal Wealth Department of the ministry ensure that the above laws are enforced.
Each emirate, however, may issue its own rules regarding animal cruelty.
A team is dispatched from the Control Unit of its Veterinary Services department to catch strays once they are reported.
In Dubai, for example, owners who abandon their pets may be fined Dh500. If they fail to collect their pet from the municipality within three working days, the pet will be confiscated.
For unregistered pets with someone proving its ownership, an owner will still be fined and will not be allowed to take the pet without registering it and getting it vaccinated.
A fine of Dh5,000 will be imposed on owners whose dogs have bitten someone.
Other penalties are imposed on animal welfare violations such as the sexual abuse of animals or deliberately releasing infected animals.
Violations of the provisions of the above laws are punishable by a fine not exceeding Dh20,000.
While the laws have teeth, they lack strict enforcement, animal welfare advocate Montserrat Martin said.
“We call on the bodies of municipalities, and on the government to reinforce the law. The law exists, let’s use it.”
