Where have all the pet owners gone?

Dubai - 300 dogs were found abandoned in March, April and May alone this year

Call it the crueler version of spring-cleaning, but in yet another cycle of pet abandonment, people across the Emirates are dumping their pets out on the streets. According to one conservative estimate, for instance, in the last three months, at least 150 dogs have been abandoned in Dubai. Another source says the figure is at least 300 this year - if you include the nearly 20 welfare groups across the UAE (SCADS, or Sharjah Cats and Dogs Shelter, Animal Action in Abu Dhabi, etc) some of which get 10 calls a day to come and rescue dumped pets.
The reasons for dumping, often just excuses, are the usual: "I'm going on holiday, can't take the cat", "I'm moving back to my home country and don't want to pay transportation charges", "I'm moving to a smaller house and can't have pet hair on the couch", "I'm moving to a building that doesn't allow pets", etc. The pets - cats, dogs, turtles, parrots, hamsters, rabbits, etc - are homeless because shelters are full, and kennels and catteries simply can't take on anymore. And while there are animal lovers out there who take in pets to foster and adopt, the number is simply not enough. 
Disposable pets
Dr Sarah Elliott of the British Veterinary Hospital in Dubai says that, "Pet abandonment is a big problem, especially this time of the year, and it's only increasing. People take on pets in a disposable fashion. We need to see animal cruelty fines being imposed in a much stricter manner."
Recently, in separate incidents, several dumped puppies and older dogs were found behind Mushrif Park in Dubai; fortunately, they were rescued by Posh Paws Dubai and given a temporary home. In Al Ain, two dogs were left in a cage outside a villa. In Dubai, cats are constantly popping up behind buildings. People drive out to less busy parts of town, with their pets at the back, and just open the car door and let them out and drive off.
Laura Glanfield, who runs Posh Paws Dubai in Al Khawaneej, says, "People don't take pets for life. My cattery has become a dumping ground." At the moment, she's got 15 kittens, 12 cats, 45 rabbits, and 6 African Sulcata tortoises that weigh 100 kilos each that need to find homes. With summer officially setting in and school terms coming to a close, families usually take off on holiday; many use this opportunity to relocate somewhere else. Even temporary caretakers - fosterers - leave the country. 
Fosterers
The founder of a Dubai-based animal shelter, who doesn't want to be named, says that animal welfare initiatives through social media have created a sense of community and are an incredible platform where within minutes of a post being shared of an abandoned or injured animal, a course of action is taken through collaborative effort. "Many are now joining the trend of fostering, where they open their homes to an animal on short-term basis until a forever home is secured," she adds. Recommending the fostering route, she says it's ideal for families with kids who can't make long-term commitments but would like to help be a part of the cycle of animal welfare and create an enjoyable experience for their kids.  
Dumping responsibility
Sarah Waheed is an Emirati rescuer who owns a pet food distributing company; together with three others, she's been running Dubai Animal Welfare Society for over four years now. They mostly take on "misunderstood dogs" like Rottweilers, Pitbulls and Salukis. "I think this summer is way worse," she feels. "Sometime ago, I saw five posts on Dogs in Dubai by people leaving the country and wanting to home their dogs." Last month, one of her rescuer friends picked up 12 abandoned dogs in one day.
Angela Kent, who works with a non-governmental volunteer group called Animal Welfare Al Ain, says, "In the past year, at least nine long-haired Persian cats have been abandoned." People buy them for the wrong reasons, one being because they're "in fashion". Cats are found dumped behind buildings, or roaming in car parks, often in poor health and maimed. Some pet owners leave them at boardings pretending it's for a short while, and then don't come collect them. According to Dr Elliott, for many expats, finances trump responsibility, as transporting a pet in an airline can cost around Dh9,000.
Waheed says, "People ask us not to judge them, but how do they expect us not to judge? We see one-week-old puppies in garbage bins!"
nivriti@khaleejtimes.com

'The UAE has a huge problem of pet abandonment'
Gaelin Gray, member of the Bin Kitty Collective, talks to Nivriti Butalia about the problems of spaying and neutering pets 
UAE's largest online community of cat welfare enthusiasts is the Bin Kitty Collective. They help thousands of cats every year. Founded in Dubai in 2011, it has over 15,000 members. The group relies exclusively on public donations to accomplish its work.
Why is it cheaper to spay/neuter cats than dogs?
Generally, dogs are bigger than cats, and this means that more anesthesia and medication are required to treat the animal. This definitely impacts costs.
Neutering surgery for a male cat is far more basic and less invasive than a female spaying surgery, which is why male cats are less expensive to sterilise than female cats. 
What is the stray cat population in UAE?
The stray cat population in the UAE was estimated at approximately 2,50,000 in 2015 (as reported by various media sources). With the rising number of people abandoning their pets in Dubai and the UAE, and the lack of a countrywide TNR (Trap, Neuter, and Return) programme, this figure continues to increase every year.
At present, several non-profit organisations - such as the Middle East Animal Foundation (MEAF), the Bin Kitty Collective, Feline Friends, and the Animal Project - run TNR schemes in a long-term bid to manage the number of strays on the street. Street cats are trapped, taken to a veterinary clinic where they are sterilised, and then returned to the same place they were picked up from. 
Has pet abandonment worsened? 
Pet abandonment is actually a huge problem worldwide. The UAE, however, is considered to be one of the countries with a higher rate of abandonment than most. This can be attributed to many factors, including the increasing population, rising pet ownership, the growth in the number of pet shops, and limited kennel and boarding facilities.
The UAE also has a very transient population, with many people not prepared to relocate with their pets when the time comes to move. 
What are the costs of neutering and spaying cats in the UAE?
These costs depend on whether the cat is a pet or a stray cat. Most veterinary clinics in Dubai generously offer a discounted rate for street cats needing sterilisation. For a pet male cat, the costs normally range from Dh500-650, as opposed to Dh150 for a stray cat. With females, spaying costs for pets starts at Dh700, as opposed to approximately Dh230 for a street cat. 
Can you give us details about Bin Kitty's partner vets who give discounts for neutering and spaying cats?
We are fortunate enough to have several partner vets: Modern Veterinary Clinic, Nad Al Shiba Veterinary Hospital, and 2Feet4Paws Veterinary Clinic. They offer our members discounted veterinary rates for the treatment and sterilisation of Dubai's street cats.  
nivriti@khaleejtimes.com

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