'Adopt, don't shop': New UAE pet group to help control stray cat numbers
An alarming number of Abu Dhabi residents shop for pets rather than adopting them. A newly formed non-profit group is trying to change that. The Animal Welfare Abu Dhabi (AWAD) group, which was launched in the capital on Friday, is aiming to change misconceptions about pet adoption and provide support to families.
'Some people think a rescue is not as good as a pet bought from a breeder and even consider rescued animals as 'secondhand' because they are from an adoption home,' said Sheikh Dr Majid bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Vice-President of the Board of Directors of AWAD. 'Every animal and every pet has a character, whether you get them from a shelter or from a breeder. You have to find the right character for your family.'
He was speaking at a panel discussion during a ceremony to launch AWAD held at Gracia Farm in Abu Dhabi. Dr Rachel J. Shaw, who is helming AWAD, said the main aim of the group was to engage the community to ensure that animals are protected in the emirate. 'We want to empower the community to help us be part of the solution to problems we have identified,' she said.
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Community cat care
Among the many activities that AWAD aims to do, one is to launch a community cat care programme that will stabilise stray cat populations within gated communities. The aim of the campaign is to trap cats at feeding stations to neuter, vaccinate and microchip them before returning them. This would help to control the stray cat population in the country.
According to Dr Martin Wyness, CEO of The British Veterinary Centre, residents putting out cat feeding stations is more dangerous than helpful. 'The number one issue in my mind is feeding animals without a Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programme to control the population,' he said. 'This simply magnifies the problem because breeding becomes uncontrolled.'
Dr Rachel added that it was important for cat lovers to remember not to 'feed to breed' but to ' feed as a means for TNR' so that the animal population can be kept in check.
Other initiatives by AWAD include setting up a hotline for reporting and assisting pet owners and the community and encouraging pet shops to adopt higher animal welfare standards. The group will also streamline adoption of dogs and cats from shelters to homes abroad while supporting pet owners with guidance on the export process.
Impulse buys
According to Dr Martin, another issue he has commonly encountered is 'impulse buys' of animals, without its owners thinking the process through. Dr Neha Vora, a professor at the American University of Sharjah (AUS) who researches the impact of stray cats on the UAE expat community, said that people don't plan enough in the case of pets.
'We have a very transient population here and a lot of people will get pets because they help you live a happier life,' she said. 'However, they don't plan for what's going to happen when they have to leave. So abandonments are really high. I think there should be some kind of safety net that helps people to take their pets with them when they have to leave the country. I think that would really reduce the number of abandonments.'
Dr Majid added that it was extremely important to have a thorough check if a pet fitted with a family before adopting it. 'There should be education on what animal species as a pet suits the owner,' he said. 'Also, there should be checks; are the children in the house allergic and how a household would care for a pet rather than just go for the cute factor.'
He shared how his family did a detailed study and even prepared a contract for his three children before adopting a cat. 'I did my own checklist and when we adopted a kitten from my wife's cousin who rescues cats, he made my children sign a contract to make sure they take care of it,' he said. 'He specified that they feed, clean and they do all the things required for cat care and that is what responsible ownership is about.'
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