Dog days are not just for canines

At the outset, just to put the record straight, I do care for the halt, the sick, the starving, the destitute.

I abhor wars, especially those involving children; I am deeply concerned about the global spread of infectious diseases and the inability of science and technology to simply and cheaply put an end to them. I give freely to those in need when possible and try to look benevolently upon humankind.

I thought I would get these points in before anyone decided to put pen to paper and complain that I cared more for our furry friends than I do for people.

Because that is what seems to happen whenever someone comes forward and expresses concern for the way pets are treated usually, but not exclusively, in the UAE.

Dumb creatures

There are animal-lovers who care for the welfare of our dumb creatures; there are others who prefer not to see them harmed in any way, but would not want to give them houseroom.

And there are people who dislike pets so much that they think it an abomination that anyone would want to share their life (or premises) with an animal, of whatever distinction.

And it is often this latter group who, on reading an article calling for care of animals, want to point out that there are millions of human beings in dire need of attention and they deserve greater priority than animals.

That's their view, but it is not mine. I do not see why a person who cares for the wellbeing of animals should not also care for the wellbeing of humankind.

In fact, it has been shown over the years that children who abuse and injure animals often grow up to become adults who abuse, and kill, persons. So perhaps there is a link there - if you're kind to animals you have a good chance of also being kind to humans.

The headline to this piece is "Dog days are not just for canines". The expression "dog days" has been around for centuries but there are some people unaware of how the term was arrived at. It is applied to the sultriest period of summer, from about July 3 to August 11.

These weeks were reckoned as extending from 20 days before to 20 days after the alignment of Sirius (the Dog Star) and the Sun. In the Mediterranean it coincided with hot days that were plagued with disease and discomfort.

In the case of Dubai pets, the dog days can be even longer and, as the headline states, not just for canines either. Let's not mince words here: there are too many so-called animal lovers who have little or no interest in the long-term wellbeing of the pets they bring into their house.

This is demonstrated by those people who leave the country, permanently, and leave their pets to fend for themselves, often tied to a fence post or locked inside a villa.

No cat or dog that has been brought up in a household will know how to fend for itself, especially in the summer heat of Dubai.

The person who abandons their dog or cat may think it is better than having them put down (euthanised), but it isn't. The once-loving pet that made few demands upon the family is condemned to a slow death of starvation, assuming dehydration hasn't killed it off first.

More common

There is another type of "caring" pet owner and one that sadly is becoming more common. It is the owner who places their pet in boarding kennels or a cattery, and pays for its upkeep for the alleged month or two they are away.

But then they either do not return or, if they do, fail to collect the pet, leaving it up to the boarding house to "dispose" of the animal the best way it can - not always by finding another home.

There are too many places that are allowed to bring dogs (usually) and cats into the country without adequate control.

There are too many pets that are left to wander the streets of the UAE, until such time as they are either killed by traffic, die of thirst or starvation or - a few but not enough -are found and taken to a rescue service. And as the rescue services will say, there are too many rescue dogs and cats all wanting good homes somewhere.

The RSPCA in Britain used to advertise "A puppy is for life, not just for Christmas". Sadly it seems that our furry friends in the UAE are now looked upon as a fashion statement or status symbol, only to be dumped when the fad has passed.