Cats without collar tags face immediate destruction

Cats found wandering in Dubai without municipality collar tags will be put down immediately, animal charity Feline Friends has warned. The tags indicate that a cat has been vaccinated and are compulsory under the new cat control policy adopted by the civic body.

Cats with tags picked up by municipality workers have to be claimed within eight days or they, too, will be put down. The new legislation replaces the old methods implemented by the Pest Control section which used poison in areas where feral and stray populations thrived.

Feline Friends volunteers have praised the new programme, saying it is a step in the right direction, but stressed that owners must be aware that their collarless kitties will not be given a grace period if they are caught by the municipality cat-catcher.

Spokeswoman Shelley Frost said, "This is not a large-scale culling of cats by the municipality. In fact, fewer cats are being killed now than during the previous years of poisoning. "The difference now is that domestic pet cats are at a higher risk than ever before as the municipality responds to complaints in residential areas.

Many residents are used to the stickers that would be placed on all doors in the past, warning pet owners to keep their animals inside as there was a poisoning campaign in their area. "Now there is no warning, so if residents want to protect their cats they must comply with the regulations laid out by the municipality immediately."

Frost warned that cats will be confiscated by the municipality if members of the public complain. "All animals without the official municipality tag will be destroyed immediately when they are picked up, so it is vitally important that owners register their animals as soon as possible."

She stressed that cat lovers concerned about the new moves should contact Feline Friends, and added that the changes in policy were a positive step. "Now that cat control falls under the Veterinary Section, humane treatment of animals is emphasised more than ever before. This is just the beginning and if things continue to move in the right direction, Dubai could be the first city in the region with a model cat control programme.

"Those people who have sterilised street cats in their area, or a garden cat that they care for, should contact Feline Friends on 050 451 0058 for advice on how to ensure the animals' safety."