Pet owners fleeing Dubai dump their pets on the streets to escape escalating crisis middle East. Veterinarians in Dubai say they are seeing an influx of inquiries about euthanizing their pets as the conflict continues, with other owners simply leaving their cats and dogs on the streets. There are over 2 million pets in the UAE. Particularly in Dubai and across the region, cats outnumber dogs by two to one, with 64.98% of pet owners being cat owners. However, reports of abandonment are now rampant, according to K9 Friends Dubai, which works to rehome dogs in the United Arab Emirates. Speaking to The Telegraph, The Barking Lot, a pet boarding service in Dubai, said they were trying to remain as flexible as possible but shelters were “overcrowded”.
abandoned and left behind
Volunteers at animal rescue shelters are reporting hundreds more abandoned pets than usual, shelters are filling up to capacity and some are now unable to care for all the animals. Heartbreaking photos of dogs being dumped on the streets, tied to posts and without their owners around were circulating on WhatsApp groups and Facebook groups, one volunteer said, adding that they had seen 200 such posts. Other reports mention pets being stranded in the desert after residents trying to leave the region via Oman were prevented from taking their pets across the UAE border. One resident of Al Ain even found a cat with four kittens on her doorstep, with a note from the owner explaining that they could not take the pets with them while they escaped. The note read: “Kitten in the box 4 and mother cat, I am returning home due to what is going on here. I tried to call but no one answered my call so I know where you are. I am sorry to have been standing in front of your door.” Another owner abandoned a rabbit in a park along with its cage, water bowl and bag of feed.
Activists raise concerns
War Paws, a charity that supports animals in times of conflict, said it seemed incomprehensible that a wealthy country like the UAE could suffer such levels of abandonment. Louise Hastie, the organization’s chief executive, added: “It’s not just a problem there, it’s a problem across Iraq and Ukraine… some people just don’t see pets the way we do.” Hasty is currently stuck in Iraq due to the ongoing conflict, but contrary to the behavior seen by other pet owners, she says she will stay with her rescued animals “until the roof falls down.” Anso Stander, director of the Six Hounds Animal Sanctuary in Al Ain, described those who abandon their pets as “selfish and heartless”. She even revealed to The Sun that she heard two dogs had been shot in the desert near the site’s borders.
social media outrage
Many influential people move to Dubai, which is dubbed “the safest city in the world” by those who move to the area in search of a luxurious, tax-free lifestyle. Yet many on the internet are angry at expats in Dubai for abandoning their pets in harmful conditions when they need maximum protection. “Many people living in Dubai are boring, soulless whores,” one user on X wrote. Another added: “People who abandon their domesticated animals are the meanest, most disgusting creatures on earth.” “I can never and will never leave my best friend,” one claimed. “This is disgusting. I feel like they keep animals because it’s cool, not because they love animals and want to take care of them forever,” decried another.
Avoid paperwork
Some expats are giving up their pets due to difficulty booking air travel or paying for relocation. Kirsty Kavanagh, founder of Dubai-based pet relocation company Pawsome Pets, said inquiries had increased dramatically in recent days. “We’ve had a 2,000% increase in inquiries in the last three days,” she told Conde Nast Traveller Middle East magazine. Each country has different rules, and some processes can take weeks or even months. However, in most cases, preparing a pet for travel will require:
- Microchip registered with the relevant municipality
- Up-to-date vaccinations, including rabies vaccine
- Vaccination booklet or pet passport listing your pet’s microchip number, breed, age and medical history
- Veterinary health certificate issued shortly before departure confirming the animal is fit to travel
- Import license for destination country
- Rabies Titer Blood Test (RNATT) for certain destinations to confirm post-vaccination immunity
For those wishing to travel by road into Oman with their pets, the rules are as follows:
- Only two pets are allowed per person.
- Pets must be microchipped.
- Dogs must be vaccinated against rabies and DHPPi. If the rabies vaccine is a primary vaccine rather than a booster vaccine, it must be given at least 30 days before travel.
- Cats must be vaccinated against rabies and TriCat. As with dogs, if this is your first vaccination, it must be given for at least 30 days.
- A Rabies Titer Blood Test (RNATT) is required to confirm immunity following vaccination.
- Each pet must obtain an import license from Oman prior to arrival.
- An Emirates Veterinary Health Certificate must be issued within 10 days of departure confirming the pet is fit to travel.
Dubai Municipality come to the rescue
Dubai Municipality recently launched artificial intelligence-powered smart devices to feed stray animals. The first-of-its-kind initiative, dubbed “Ehsan Stations”, will include the installation of 12 units at key locations, 10 of which will be installed in parks and two at facilities operated by Dubai Holding. The stations will use technology to identify stray animals, collect relevant data and distribute food accordingly. Dubai Municipality said it “supports feeding stray animals in a more organized and sustainable way”.While it’s unclear whether the project was started in response to the current pet abandonment crisis, it will certainly help feed animals left on the streets.
