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Dear friends,
As many of you might be aware UAE has a fantastic LAW N16 FOR RESPECTING ANIMAL WELFARE.

We have stared a petition on line since the 2nd of Feb 2010, right now 1400 people has signed, we are aiming for 2000.

Please give animals a voice.

http://www.friendsofanimalsdxb.com/apps/guestbook/

Kindly circulate this message and thank you for your support.

''friends of animals''

I hate to imagine how expensive dogs/cats etc will be if they start enforcing these laws.

benwj wrote:I hate to imagine how expensive dogs/cats etc will be if they start enforcing these laws.

Meaning? The laws are for the protection against cruelty to animals. Like giving out fines and jail sentences and bans to those who abuse them!

Some of the recent stories of abuse have been horrific! These laws exist, but they are not implemented! That's all people are asking for!

Plus animals are expensive - if you can't look after an animal properly - don't have one!

Just send all the unwanted cats round to Da Shi Dai. They taste just like chicken.

The UAE will never take animal cruelty seriously. Its not in their culture to respect animals.
The covering letter only talked about unlicensed illegal sellers.
Your dam right they are expensive. I wouldn't have any change left to feed it after forking out 10 grand for dog.

if you can't look after an animal properly - don't have one!

can't agree any more, I had 3 dogs in the past, miss them a lot, but they've gone ...

And what do you think Sheikh Mo’s response to an insulting letter and a petition from a bunch of foreigners telling him his government haven’t been doing their job very well and he needs to pull his finger out and get something sorted, might just be?

I hope the original letter was better worded in Arabic and something has been lost in the English Translation herewith, it needs to be, and it would stand a better chance of getting read if it was authored and signed by a local. I'm afraid you’re all wasting your time with this one!

Well isn't it a shame Dillon, that all the shelters and rescue organisations here are founded, funded and run by expats? If the government pulled their finger out, there wouldn't be such a huge problem with animals here.

Isn't it sad that a law exists, but it isn't enforced in any way , shape or form?

Obviously the letter is written by someone who's first language is not English!

Do you have to nitpick? Can't someone be praised for at least trying to do some good?

As Gandhi once said, the state of a nation can be graded, by the way it treats its animals!

Well, yes it is a shame, but there are protocols in communicating with the office of S Mo, quoting laws and telling him he isn’t doing his job properly, simply isn’t the way to go about it.

We’re not in England or any other European Country, we’re somewhere completely different, living amongst people who don’t have the same respect for domestic pets as others may, I don’t nitpick, I tell it as I see it and would congratulate nobody for instigating such an ill conceived and poorly executed petition.

In YOUR opinion! I say good on them for giving it a go. I cannot stand defeatist attitudes, people CAN and DO make a difference!

Just last week K9 Friends came to an agreement with the Municipality to stop putting dogs down and to give them all a chance to find homes.

Things are and can change!

It's unfortunate but many expats are responsible for abandoning animals. The way people can't leave Dubai with debt, they should be made to take their pets with them, but there's always an excuse and it's usually: I can't afford to ship him/her home.

Dillon, please don't underestimate Sheikh Mohammed. First of all, do you really think he is aware of the law being ignored by his government? The only way he will know if it is presented to him. Many changes came about because Sheikh Mohammed was made aware of the need to make those changes. He's no different that the President of a country - he can't be held accountable for everything that goes on in his country. In the states we have representatives that can make change happen by introducing bills and legislature. Unfortunately that isn't present in the UAE and approval for implementation or change falls to one person and finding a way to reach that person.

Rescue organizations run by expats have managed to work with the Municipality regarding abandoned pets, giving the pets an opportunity to be adopted and in some cases reunited with it's owner. Before there was a joint effort by both parties these animals were euthanized.

Chocs, I realize this is a wonderful effort, but the letter is a bit insulting. Before presenting something to anyone on any level that has the capacity to do something, effort should be made to ensure that there is a respectable approach when making a request. Is there any chance that it can be rewritten in a more respectable and professional manner before being submitted? Just asking.

Also, I can't access the petition!!! And what is a serial number???

And I would suggest DM are the Authority to deal with, not the office of S Mohammed.

Nicely put BB. And yes, I do wish people would consider their animals when they take them on. Even now on other forums I see threads of people saying they're leaving and can't take their animals with them - mostly strays that have been taken in, but still, if you're going to take on any animal people have to be prepared to look after it for the rest of it's life.

My latest adoptee is an old lady cat, who was abandoned by her owners and no one else wanted her as she is 15. But she is honestly the sweetest (if not the noisiest) thing ever.

-- Sun May 22, 2011 9:10 pm --

Dillon wrote:And I would suggest DM are the Authority to deal with, not the office of S Mohammed.

Why? If you can go straight to the top and get someone's attention, why the heck not?! There is never EVER any harm in trying, what is there to lose? Nothing! What is there to gain? Everything!

Get some positivity!

Chocoholic wrote:Well isn't it a shame Dillon, that all the shelters and rescue organisations here are founded, funded and run by expats?

Are'nt the expats to blame for creating the problem in the first place?

Buying cats and dogs and then abadoning them when its time to leave

KeithL wrote:

Chocoholic wrote:Well isn't it a shame Dillon, that all the shelters and rescue organisations here are founded, funded and run by expats?

Are'nt the expats to blame for creating the problem in the first place?

Buying cats and dogs and then abadoning them when its time to leave

Some but not all. However, we're mainly talking about animal abuse here. There have been some horrific cases in the press recently and the problem is that the owners and/or culprits face no penalty for it.

There are lots of unlicensed traders, smugglers bringing in endangered species.

It's a disaster on an epic scale in this country for animal welfare.

I'm a firm believer that if you want to try to get something major done, don't start at the bottom, it should start at the top!!! At the very least, he would be made aware of the situation and probably assign someone who will work with the organization and hold that person responsible for the outcome.

@KeithL: you have no idea how many locals own pets and neglect and abuse them. And I'm not talking about baby lions, tigers, monkeys, etc. I'm talking about cats and dogs.

Going back some years ago local boys would toss kittens onto SZR and watch them scramble and get run over by cars. It was in the name of "fun". That fun was stopped quickly.

Chocoholic wrote:
Get some positivity!

I’ve got my ‘positivity’ Chocs, I’m positively certain your letter in it’s current form will get positively nowhere! It’s positively insulting!

I’ve given you my advice, take it or leave it, I don’t mind either way.

Dillon wrote:

Chocoholic wrote:
Get some positivity!

I’ve got my ‘positivity’ Chocs, I’m positively certain your letter in it’s current form will get positively nowhere! It’s positively insulting!

I’ve given you my advice, take it or leave it, I don’t mind either way.

Well I didn't write it did i! Yes your comments are noted, to the point that I've emailed the author offering to proof read and re-write it! Happy now?!

I'm always happy, contrary to the opinions of some other DF members



-- Sun May 22, 2011 9:32 pm --

Bora Bora wrote:Dillon, please don't underestimate Sheikh Mohammed......

I didn't suggest petitioning S Mo was a mistake, I said it was done badly and suggested changes.

Dillon wrote:I'm always happy, contrary to the opinions of some other DF members



-- Sun May 22, 2011 9:32 pm --

Bora Bora wrote:Dillon, please don't underestimate Sheikh Mohammed......

I didn't suggest petitioning S Mo was a mistake, I said it was done badly and suggested changes.

Duly noted Mr Happy Pants!!! You might take a page out of your own book when replying!!!!

Bora Bora wrote:You might take a page out of your own book when replying!!!!

Meaning

Dubai is not a 1st world country and it will be hard to convince people to pay attention to animal rights when human rights are still lacking. It is worth a try to advocate and may speed the development along more quickly than if no one was advocating for change. Anyhow, the letter needs to be written carefully to attract the right kind of action, not insult anyone.

The problem is not with expats leaving animals behind necessarily, since they are typically the ones paying to sterilize their pets so that they don't keep breeding, and many take their pets with them when they leave. However, there are some expats who abandon the pets. The locals and long-time residents seem to be the ones taking in pets that they leave in the backyard without proper care, vaccination etc. They can't be bothered to pay to sterilize the animals so that they don't make more babies that need homes or end up as strays on the streets.

Chocs, who is "We"?


One way to help the animals in the UAE is to volunteer especially at K9-Friends or Feline Friends (both have websites and facebook pages) and also don't be afraid to report abuse when you see it....

My pets already have a voice....and use it frequently when anyone walks past the Baskervillas!

Its worth noting that stray dogs are immediately acted upon by all Emirate municipalities and rounded up/trapped/poisoned/shot/injected.

Every municipality wheelie bin, however, has its own community of stray and feral cats that are tolerated and even fed and watered by the local community. I could understand this if they were keeping the local rat problem in check, but it seems they are on the increase also.

Given half a chance, my young one would thin the numbers.



Knight

kanelli wrote:The problem is not with expats leaving animals behind necessarily, since they are typically the ones paying to sterilize their pets so that they don't keep breeding, and many take their pets with them when they leave. However, there are some expats who abandon the pets. The locals and long-time residents seem to be the ones taking in pets that they leave in the backyard without proper care, vaccination etc. They can't be bothered to pay to sterilize the animals so that they don't make more babies that need homes or end up as strays on the streets.

Kanelli, since you left Dubai the number of animals abandoned by expats has increased tremendously. When the economy took a turn and many lost their jobs, pets were left behind in villas or tied up somewhere to be found. These pets were either rescued or were picked up by the Municipality where their fate was death. So that is a problem.

There are expats who take in strays and don't bother to get them vaccinated or chipped. Some of these animals become garden pets in that they go to certain villas where expats live to be fed but are never taken in.

Ambassador, since I have been a member of DF I can tell you that Chocs is quite passionate about the cruelty that animals experience, along with the abandonment and is active with FF and/K9. If you noticed in her post in this thread she took in a cat that was considered "too old" by everyone and rather than see it be put down, she sheltered it. More than likely this cat was with FF.

I myself have a cat,that was a stray, that I took in the same day I had my cat put down due to her having cancer. This cat will go wherever I go and I am in the process of taking in another cat that was not abandoned, but was living a life confined to one room. This cat is the gentlest, sweetest thing and was allowed to go outside and roam. It's a domesticated cat, and doesn't know how to "fight" and would come home all cut up from being attacked by other cats. A condition that I gave to the owner was that the cat be taken to the vet and have him neutered and I would have him chipped. I also suspect that he is not up to date with his jabs. He had cat flu, was given antibiotics, and because of his illness he cannot be neutered until he is healthy again. This cat was doomed to die from an illness or injuries. He too will live his life out with me and will never be abandoned.

I made an attempt to get involved with FF with rescuing cats, but I found it to be too emotional for me to handle. But I do my part in other ways to contribute to the wonderful work they do.

My old gal wasn't a FF cat. She was actually a pet sit - I do pet sitting on the odd occasion, and her owners just never bothered to come back! She was left in the apartment, everything was left. The pet sitting company were looking after her, but the poor thing was confined to a maids room, I couldn't have that and after lots of effort to find her a new home I decided to take her.

I can't tell you the countless strays that I've gone and had sterilised, puppies I've rescued from being used as footballs by children, tick infested and just abused. It's heart breaking, but someone has to do it.

There are lots of organisations who are all doing their best, but it's no where near enough and there aren't enough volunteers or foster homes. K9 Friends are full and have 42 dogs on the wait list! And we've not even got to the summer months yet where the majority of animals are abandoned.

I love the expats who are leaving Dubai and ask people to take care of their pets "temporarily" and they will send for them "later on". Later on never seems to come for most.

Bora Bora wrote:I love the expats who are leaving Dubai and ask people to take care of their pets "temporarily" and they will send for them "later on". Later on never seems to come for most.

Wow, do people do that?

I've noticed that becoming a common trend actually. They give up trying to 'rehome' the animals, knowing the flack they get for not taking the animals with them, so they start asking for people to look after the animals until they get sorted, or for the rabies period and then 'allegedly' will send for them.

That's terrible. We took our cats in knowing that we would fly them out with us. I know there are some people who cannot take the pets with them, for financial or practical reasons, it just sucks for the pets if they cannot be re-homed.