Pet owners fleeing Dubai are dumping their pets on the street in a hurry to escape the escalating crisis in the Middle East. Veterinarians in Dubai shared that they have seen an influx in inquiries about euthanising pets as the conflict persists, with other owners simply leaving their cats and dogs on the streets. There are over 2 million pets across the UAE. Particularly in Dubai and across the region, cats outnumber dogs by a two-to-one margin with 64.98% pet owners being cat people. However, now, reports of abandonments have been overwhelming, as per K9 Friends Dubai, which works to rehome dogs in the United Arab Emirates. In a conversation with The Telegraph, a pet boarding service in Dubai, The Barking Lot, shared that they are trying to stay as flexible as possible, but shelters are ‘overflowing’.
Abandoned and left behind
Volunteers at animal rescue shelters have reported hundreds more abandoned pets than usual, filling the capacity of the shelters with some now unable to care for all the animals. Heart-breaking photos of dogs left on the streets, tied to poles with no owners around have been circulating on WhatsApp groups and Facebook groups, shared a volunteer, adding that they have seen 200 such posts. Other reports, mention pets being left stranded in the desert after residents who attempted to leave the region via Oman were prevented from taking them over the UAE border. One resident in Al Ain even found a cat with four kittens left on her doorstep with a note from the owner explaining they were unable to take their pets with them as they fled. “Kitten 4 and mama cat inside box I am travelling back to my country because of the situations going on here. I tried to call but no one picked up my calls, so I got to know your locations. I am so sorry for keeping in front of your gate,” read the note. Another owner abandoned a rabbit in a park with its hutch, water bowl, and a single bag of feed.
Activists raise concerns
It seemed incomprehensible that a wealthy country like the UAE could experience such levels of abandonment, stated War Paws, a charity that supports animals during times of conflict. “It’s not just a problem there, it’s happening across Iraq and Ukraine as well … some people just don’t see pets the way we do,” added Louise Hastie, the organisation’s CEO. Hastie is currently stranded in Iraq because of the ongoing conflict but in contrast to the behaviour seen by other pet owners, she would stay with her rescued animals “until the roof came down” she said. Anso Stander, who runs the Six Hounds animal sanctuary in Al Ain described those dumping pets as “selfish and heartless.” She even shared with The Sun, that she heard of two dogs being shot in the desert near the site’s border.
Social media outrage
Numerous influencers move to Dubai, dubbed as the ‘safest city in the world’ by those moving to the region in search of luxurious, tax-free lifestyles. However, the abandonment of pets in harmful conditions in times when they need maximum protection has left many on the internet enraged with Dubai expats. “Many of the people who live in Dubai are vapid and soulless harlots,” wrote one user on X. “People who dump animals that they domesticated are the most vile, and disgusting beings on earth,” added another. “I could never and would never leave my best friend,” claimed one. “This is so disgusting. I feel like they get animals because it’s cool and not because they love animals and they want to care for them forever,” condemned another.
Escaping the paperwork
Some expats are abandoning their pets due to difficulty in booking air travel or covering relocation costs. Kirsty Kavanagh, founder of Dubai-based pet relocation company, Pawsome Pets said enquiries have risen sharply in recent days. “In the last three days we have experienced an increase in submitted enquiries of 2,000 per cent,” she shared with Conde Nast Traveller Middle East. Every country has different rules and some processes can take weeks or even months. However, in most cases pets preparing to travel require:
- A microchip registered with the relevant municipality
- Up-to-date vaccinations, including rabies
- A vaccination booklet or pet passport listing the pet’s microchip number, breed, age and medical history
- A veterinary health certificate issued shortly before departure, confirming the animal is fit to travel
- An import permit for the destination country
- A rabies titre blood test (RNATT) for certain destinations, confirming immunity following vaccination
For those looking to travel by road, crossing into Oman with a pet, here are the rules:
- Only two pets are allowed to cross per person.
- Pets must be microchipped.
- Dogs must have valid rabies and DHPPi vaccinations. If the rabies vaccination is a primary vaccination rather than a booster, it must be administered at least 30 days before travel.
- Cats must have valid rabies and TriCat vaccinations. As with dogs, the rabies vaccination must be at least 30 days old if it is the primary vaccination.
- A rabies titre blood test (RNATT) is required to confirm immunity following vaccination.
- An import permit from Oman must be obtained for each pet before arrival.
- A UAE veterinary health certificate, confirming the pet is fit to travel, must be issued within 10 days of departure.
Dubai Municipality to the rescue
Dubai Municipality has recently launched AI-powered smart devices to feed stray animals. Known as ‘Ehsan Stations’ the first-of-its-kind initiative will include the installation of 12 devices across key locations, including ten units in public parks and two within facilities operated by Dubai Holding. The stations will use tech to identify stray animals, collect relevant data and dispense food accordingly. Dubai Municipality said it “supports a more organised and sustainable approach to feeding stray animals.”While it remains unclear if the project has been launched in response to the current pet abandonment crisis, it will surely help feed animals left in the streets.
