(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Eighty to 100 animals are estimated to be getting abandoned every month across the country, reported 999, the official publication of the Ministry of Interior.
The pets are abandoned either in the desert, at airport gates, dumped near or in garbage bins, thrown out of moving cars or simply left locked inside villas and flats, left to die by owners leaving the country or going away for a holiday. Some of them are reluctant to shell out money for pet boarding while others simply cannot afford or are not willing to pay the high cost of treatment when the animals are sick.
According to 999, the holiday season is the starting point of "abandonment" when animals such as puppies or kittens are given as "gifts" and the huge responsibility wof caring for them hamper the owner's lifestyle.
The stringent policy and quarantine laws of some countries, such as New Zealand and Australia, in bringing pets home also deter expats from taking their once beloved creatures with them.
There are only a few animal welfare groups and a handful of individuals rescuing, homing and feeding abandoned pets across the UAE. Although the existence of these groups is a positive step, the "supply" of forsaken animals, however, far outstrips the "demand" for giving them a good home.
In addition, these groups rely on donations. Because of the sheer number of abandoned pets, the money raised is never enough. The others have to resort to euthanasia for those who have no chance of recovering from malnutrition or injuries, the monthly magazine reported.
Get serious
Dr Sana Peeran of Zabeel Veterinary Hospital in Dubai said that people migrating to the UAE with their pets or those who buy or adopt animals in the UAE must take their responsibility seriously.
"They should acknowledge that owning a pet is an expensive affair. Precautions such as vaccination, deworming and registration must be taken," she pointed out.
"Never buy a pet while thousands are being killed for lack of homes" There are only a few animal shelters in the UAE and all are currently overloaded," said Montserrat Martin, founder of Friends of Animals in Dubai.
In the case of pedigree dogs, the problem arises when they are no longer "fashionable" and owners don't want to put in efforts to train and maintain them. Huskies and Dobermans are among the frequently abandoned pets, often bought as "cute puppies", then abandoned later when it is no longer convenient.
In Abu Dhabi, the situation for abandoned pets has improved over the past years, according to Dr Margit Muller, a veterinarian from the Abu Dhabi Animal Shelter. She said animals are being surrendered to the shelter rather than left on the street, and they are "in much better condition than before" - not so skinny, have fewer disease and not many fight wounds.
The shelter keeps the pets as long as it takes to find them new homes. "We had pets staying with us for more than one year until they found new loving families."
Since the opening of the Abu Dhabi Animal Shelter in 2010, 1,726 pets have been adopted, 471 of which were homed in 2014. These include 209 cats, 243 dogs and 19 small pets like rabbits, birds and turtles.
Under the UAE Federal Law 16 of 2007, mistreatment of animals can result in one-year imprisonment and a Dh20,000 fine. The law provisions that animals must be given protection from the weather and predators, fed a wholesome diet appropriate for their age and species, and given fresh drinking water everyday.
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