How abandoned pets in the UAE found love again: Residents share tips on rehoming and trust-building

They kept calling her in, but she resolutely sat down at the doorway.  Cola, a spotted indie had no desire to leave the rescue centre that day: At least here she was safe. Who knew what unknown humans from the comfort of their homes could do? What if they suddenly left her alone again?

Yet, Dubai-based Ivy Davis, a corporate communications consultant, who had fallen in love with the dog’s large, soft and brown eyes at first sight, was determined to win her over. She quickly learnt the story behind Cola’s distrust: At the age of one, the dog had been abandoned by the previous owners as they were leaving the country, and they couldn’t take her with them. So, they dropped her off at a shelter.

Four years have passed since that day, but Davis vividly remembers the early turmoil. “It took her a few days to trust me, and a whole month to trust my husband,” recalls Davis. For days, Cola would stay near the couch and squeal if anyone approached her without much of a warning. “For months, she would hide under the desk whenever she noticed we were trying to take her out in the car. She was certain that the sight of a car and leash together signaled only one thing: abandonment, all over again, and would make whimpering noises. It would really break our hearts,” recalls Davis.  

Working through the fears

That’s the rather unforgiving, cruel nature of abandonment. Animals quite evidently experience the real sting and hurt of abandonment like people, just unlike us, they cannot articulate it. So, it comes out in seemingly aggressive snarls or overt shyness and introversion where they fear being approached. Yet, she learned along the way: She used her voice first, before ever touching the dog. She learned how to touch the dog’s chin first, before the head, which somehow puts a nervous animal at ease as they understand that you aren’t attacking them. “Yet, when you win their trust and love, it just feels so rewarding,” adds Davis. It takes effort, patience, whether you’re approaching them at the street, centre or even if you took them home. Davis recalls, “We just kept reassuring her in ways that we weren’t abandoning her. For instance, we would leave the house for a short span of time, and return. And then, we would increase the time, till she grew secure that we weren’t leaving her. Every single time, we rewarded her with treats, so the separation anxiety reduced.”

There are many such uplifting stories. Saving, rehoming and healing abandoned and possibly traumatised animals isn’t easy: But the reward is fulfilling. In Davis’s case, there’s a pervasive sense of relief and joy as she looks at Cola now: A spirited, different dog than the one she brought home. A dog who jumps and greets everyone. “Seeing her grow, has changed me as a person,” she says. Similarly, Dubai-based Natasha D' Souza's Perry, who came to her from a rescue center in 2023. "His previous owner passed away, and he was rescued by a rescue centre, so we decided to foster him," adds D'Souza, a senior director in public relations. "It has been two years, and he has changed our lives. Definitely made us more active."

In other words, you save a life, and maybe somehow save yours.

Each animal is different, as are the stories of their rescues. UAE residents and rescue centre volunteers share suggestions on what to do, if you do see an abandoned animal that needs love and attention.

Fostering, despite the odds

Allergies didn’t stop him from fostering cats.

Matt Smith, a Dubai-based media professional, has rescued over 16 abandoned cats in the past 15 years that he has been in the country. “The funny thing is that I have an allergy,” he chuckles. Yet, whenever he sees a stray, starving kitten or adult cat that clearly needs attention, he works to build a certain level of trust with them, by feeding them, without directly approaching them first.

Obviously, he doesn’t do this with every cat that he sees, as he specifies: For instance, if a cat looks healthy and well, then you should just leave it be, it might be getting fed by a community.   “I think, you’ll know which cat isn’t a street cat; the ears would be clipped. Those are the ones that have been abandoned,” he says.  “Check with local vet if the cat is chipped, or in case lost, then find a foster home until you can find a permanent home,” he says.

Rabbits in distress: Overcoming fear with kindness

Rescuing abandoned dogs and cats is one thing, but when it comes to rabbits, it's a whole different story—one filled with challenges and surprises.

Rabbits are abandoned just as much as other animals too: And perhaps, what’s worse, is that they are overlooked in the rescue space as people find it hard to imagine that a ‘cute bunny’ could ever be abandoned, explains Claire Malcolm, a volunteer admin at Helping Hands for Small Paws, who says that they receive several requests a day about abandoned rabbits.

Malcom has her own personal experience to share: In 2022, she decided to take on two rabbits who had been abandoned in Sports City. “They were literally left in the basement car park of an apartment block when their owner moved out,” recalls Malcom.  “When we rescued them, they had been running scared in the parking lot for a month, with very little food and no human interaction apart from people trying to catch them.”  She recalls how the older male rabbit was the most ‘feral’ they had ever encountered. “He was extremely scared and that made him defensive and, incredibly aggressive  - something I hadn’t personally encountered to that degree previously.” They surmised that by the way he reacted, he had been kept in a small, cramped cage with the top only to throw in food. “I kept him in my kitchen and every time I opened the door he would lunge at me, jaws wide open, ready to bite. I had to wear boots, jeans and long sleeves but he still bit me hard a few times, once or twice down to the bone,” she recalls.

Yet, she stayed gentle and persuasive. She would place food in the corner, without approaching him, as she knew that he didn’t trust her. After over two months, he was comfortable enough to sit down next to her, on the condition that she didn’t move. “At that point, I still couldn’t touch him. As soon as he saw my arm raise or any movement, he would either hide or lunge to bite,” she says. By the fourth month, an ‘uneasy’ alliance had formed: He would allow to be petted, and when he was calm, she would reward him with a treat. “This created positive association and he stopped seeing me as a life-or-death threat.”

Malcolm’s efforts bore fruit after six months: He allowed her to hold him. “Of course, I ended up adopting him. Sadly, I unexpectedly lost him this past Christmas, after a year where he’d come through cancer, survived a limb amputation and was an absolute warrior.”

Signs of distress in rabbits: What to watch out for

Malcom has a little advice for those who find abandoned rabbits. “A traumatised rabbit will often hide under things, behind things or push themselves into corners in utter fear. They may whimper or make noises, which is the first warning sign, as rabbits are usually silent.  They may display defensive aggression or become super lethargic. They may stop eating, which can cause gut stasis and be fatal and they may display extreme marking behaviours. They may over-groom out of distress.”

Don’t try to ‘coax’ them out, or purposely pick them up, especially when they’re in a heightened state of fear. Let them be and leave them food, where they can reach it. As she suggests, just work on creating a safe space, with food, water and shelter, and other essentials. “When you approach them, you need to do it slowly and quietly, and talk in a gentle calm voice.” And remember, many will continue to remain wary for their lifetime. “Rehabilitation is all about doing things on their terms, in a space where they feel safe,” concludes Malcom.

Perhaps, saving abandoned animals isn’t just about saving lives; it’s about rebuilding trust and offering a second chance at happiness. Whether it’s a wary dog, a frightened cat, or a traumatised rabbit, the journey of healing requires patience, compassion, and understanding. For those willing to take that journey, the reward feels immeasurable.