Dubai
Stray cats are a common sight on the roads in the UAE. But, what many people may not be aware of is that not all the felines found on the roads are strays. They include abandoned pets who are forced to fend for themselves.
As the holiday season approaches, the Dubai Senior Dog Project (DSDP) expects a sharp rise in animal abandonment.
Hayley Strifler, a coordinator working with DSDP, told Gulf News: “It is due to residents relocating home, holiday-makers failing to arrange suitable arrangements for their pets and those feeling the financial pinch on what many find ‘the most expensive month of the year’.”
One such pet who has already been abandoned is Captain, a 10-year-old rescue with DSDP.
Strifler said: “His owners abandoned him, tying him up outside a local shelter due to a skin condition. DSDP assisted Captain to find a foster home and this is how he came to meet the Hutchings family. Captain now lives with them happily. But, he still has the skin condition, which was diagnosed as chronic. His family helps him manage this by giving him his medicines as well as keeping him on a special skin support diet.”
DSDP is a non-profit, volunteer-led initiative and their aim is “to reduce the growing numbers of senior and special needs dogs in the UAE that have been abandoned by their owners”.
She said: “We are targeting pet abandonment through awareness, education and public health promotion. We provide full veterinary screening and health reports for all dogs that are homed, as well as behavioural evaluations by a qualified trainer or canine behaviourist. We recognise that to curb animal abandonment there needs to be a more sustainable and preventative approach.”
Strifler urges pet owners to plan their holiday arrangements and budget accordingly so as to avoid needless suffering of so many animals.
Feline Friends Dubai, a non-profit organisation that helps foster or adopt animals, is facing a similar situation.
Victoria Overton, who works with Feline Friends Dubai, said: “We’ve seen an increase in the last month or two. The lead up to Christmas seems to be one of those times where a lot of people leave Dubai or decide to go home for the holidays, so we have been receiving many emails and phone calls from people wanting to give their pets up for various different reasons. It’s such a shame that people don’t have the forethought to put a plan in place so they’re prepared for such events. Perhaps they also think that there would be a lot of people adopting in time for Christmas so they think their pet stands a good chance at finding another home. Sadly this isn’t the case.”
Jackie Ratcliffe, who works at Dubai-based K9 Friends, a non-profit shelter that rescues abandoned dogs, said they do not allow people to adopt pets closer to the holiday season due to the risk of further abandonment.
She said: “The saying, ‘Dogs are for life and not for Christmas’, is a problem all over the world and because of this K9 Friends do not rehome any dogs or pups the week before Christmas. We are happy to let visitors come and reserve animals but we only allow them to pick them up after the festive season. We never encourage giving animals as gifts as this is a personal thing and no animal should ever be landed on some unsuspecting human. It is not fair on the animal or the person. Some of the dogs that came to us last December are still in the shelter.”
Jasmeen Bhirani is the founder of Sniff Middle East, an animal rescue group, and she believes that the problem is much bigger than abandoning pets in the winter.
She told Gulf News: “There are multiple factors that come in to play. Some people take on a certain breed of dog and lack experience to cope with the behaviour and energy levels of that breed. Many don’t take permission from the landlord before keeping a pet at home. In an apartment, when the dog starts barking and the neighbours complain, the owners are compelled to pass on the dog irresponsibly and quickly.
“There are some people who get a ‘cute puppy’ as a gift for their child, which is quite common in the festive season. Soon, it grows up into an adult dog and it’s not what they expected. This is the reason why many charities around the world stop puppy adoptions during this season. In addition to this, people work full time. A puppy requires attention. People seem to be unaware of how to cope with a pup with multiple needs and manage their work and family time.”
Another issue that Bhirani highlights is illegal breeding, with people selling off puppies just so as to make an income.
She said: “They will give it off to anyone interested. But, it’s against the law. The authorities need to take charge and levy heavy fines on such people.”
Before letting someone adopt a pet, Sniff Middle East makes them answer a questionnaire to ensure that they are prepared and fit to take an animal home.
Keeping a pet is a big responsibility that people seem to be taking easily. And when they are tired of it, they leave the animal on the road, expecting it to be able to survive. It isn’t easy. Before bringing a pet home, we should ask ourselves, are we ready?
FACTS:
Federal Law No. 16 of 2007 protects the rights of animals in the UAE. Mistreatment of animals can result in a one year imprisonment and Dh20,000 fine. According to the law, animals must be given protection from the weather and predators and be fed a wholesome diet appropriate for their age and species, and receive a continuous supply of fresh drinking water each day.
