Dubai: The Dubai Civil Defence on Tuesday surprised a woman with the gift of a new furry feline friend resembling the pet she lost in a recent fire.
Filipina Angelie Agoncillo Mangalindan, a 26-year-old etisalat sales executive, lost her pet cat in a fire that broke out in a residential building in Dubai’s Al Muraqqabat area last week.
Officials on Tuesday asked the fire victim to come to Dubai Civil Defence headquarters, but did not tell her why.
Major General Rashid Thani Al Matroushi, director-general of Dubai Civil Defence, presented the cat to Angelie.
“After reading reports about the woman’s loss, we presented her with a cat that looks like the one who suffocated in the fire last week. We wanted to make her happy,” Maj Gen Al Matroushi said.
The officials also completed all the necessary documentation for the new cat.
“It is part of the Year of Giving to make residents happy. This gesture is the first of its kind [in Dubai],” Maj Gen Al Matroushi added.
A video showed Maj Gen Al Matroushi surprising the woman with her new friend.
Angelie told Gulf News that she couldn’t believe her eyes when she saw the cat.
“I feel so happy. I was attached to my former cat and the new cat has brought me so much joy,” she said.
Angelie’s former cat’s name was Chico and she has named the new cat Cheeno.
On July 9, dozens of families were evacuated from the four-storey building in Al Muraqqabat when the fire broke out at 3.16pm. The blaze was brought under control by Dubai Civil Defence at 3.42pm.
The fire started in a flat on the first floor. Firefighters helped rescue 23 people and two children from the building. No injuries were reported.
Earlier this week, Dubai Civil Defence rescued a kitten trapped behind a high wall inside a building at Dubai Marina.
A video of the rescue was shared by firefighters on Sunday.
Dubai Civil Defence had received a call from a resident about a kitten trapped in a three-metre hole behind a wall.
The resident was also a member of the Yanni animal welfare group.
The kitten was rescued within 15 minutes. Apparently, its mother carried the kitten to the top of the wall to protect her when she fell into the hole.
An Instagram post shows Dubai Civil Defence personnel arriving at the building and rescuing the kitten.
A member of the Yanni Animal Welfare group adopted the mother cat and kitten.
“We care about human as well as animal lives. It is part of our role in society to save all lives,” Maj Gen Al Matroushi said.
