Sharjah requires all pets to be vaccinated within three months

Mandatory vaccination of all domestic animals should done within the next three months, according a senior civic official. Municipality Director-General Ahmed Mohammed Fikri said, "The Municipality will issue warnings to residents, telling everyone who has any kind of domestic animal, including cats and dogs, to get their animals officially registered at the Veterinary Section at Sharjah Municipality within the next three months."

Animals will then be examined to see if they have diseases or viruses. The animals will also be vaccinated. Fikri said a register would be set up at the Veterinary Section and each animal will have its own file and serial number. There will be a health card for each animal to keep track of checkups.

"A metal license will be slung round the animal showing its serial number and the validity date of the license," Fikri said. The license should be renewed annually. "A fee of Dh50 will be collected for the license, Dh25 for checking the animal and vaccinating it and Dh10 for protecting the animal from worms," Fikri said.

"Owners of sick animals will be updated about their health and they along with municipal experts will decide what to do with them." He said all animals found unregistered after the grace period is over, or those whose licenses are not renewed on time, would be confiscated.

"Offenders will have to pay a fine of Dh100 for each offence, and they will get their animals back only after they get them registered and vaccinated," Fikri said.