How to Adopt or Foster Stray Animals in Dubai

Stray Kittens/Cats wandering around on the streets of UAE is not an uncommon sight but helping them can be quite tricky keeping in mind there are so many laws when it comes to stray animals in Dubai/UAE. Some of these cats/kittens are dumped or abandoned by their owners, some a result of breeding, etc. In this post, learn how you can help Stray animals in Dubai without infringing the law, places to adopt stray animals, related laws, etc.

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Everything about feeding stray cats.

When people begin to feed them, they lose their ability to hunt and survive on their own. This wouldn’t be a problem if people looked after them for the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, most people aren’t able to do so and pets often end up on the streets.

Stray cats should only be fed once every other day, you can leave some dry food in a tray or plate. This pushes them to still hunt and keep their survival skills. Try to keep cat food near garbage bins or other sources of scraps. This allows the cat to still find food in the area if you aren’t available to feed them any longer. Always sterilize stray cats. This prevents them from breeding and introducing even more cats to a population that already competes for scarce food resources.

Best is to if you can afford to do so, spay or neuter the animal first and then return it to the original location also known as TNR (Trap, Neuter, and Return). TNR will help greatly to reduce the population of stray cats on the streets. 

When feeding stray cats, what are the Dos and Don’ts?

• Do not feed them milk. Most cats are lactose intolerant. Give them fresh water instead and dry cat food.
• Bones should not be given, be it any kind, especially chicken or fish bones.
• Spicy food and many other food items are extremely harmful to cats.
• Do Not place food directly onto the ground. It makes a mess and attracts ants.

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What should I do if I come across newborn kittens?

While it might be alluring to want to take them home, remember pets are a long time commitment and don’t take them if you can’t keep them. The best thing to do is simply to watch and evaluate the situation, do not touch the newborns else the mother cat will refuse to cater to them. It’s possible the mother is off searching for food or is in the process of moving them to a different location. Try to determine if the mother is coming back for them, or if they are truly orphaned.

Stand far away from the kittens — 35 feet or more. If you stand too close, the mom will not approach her kittens. You might need to go away completely before the mother cat will return to attend to the kittens. It might be several hours before the mother cat returns — until she no longer senses the presence of humans near her litter.

The mother cat is their best chance for survival, so wait and watch as long as you can. The best food for kittens is their mother’s milk. Remove the kittens only if they are in immediate, grave danger. If the mother isn’t around

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Feeding New Born kittens:

Remember very young kittens will need to feed every two hours, around the clock, to ensure their survival. If you take the kittens in, it is unlikely that you will find an organisation with available staff or volunteers to take on bottle-feeding on short notice.

“If you discover that mom has been hit by a car, or if for any reason it appears that she is not coming back, then you should remove the kittens. This is crucial to the kittens’ survival. But you must be prepared to see this project through to weaning if you decide to intervene.”

NYC Feral Cat Initiative

Some organisations do have experienced bottle-feeders, but prior logistical planning is necessary. Animal shelters and veterinarians generally do not take in newborn kittens, since they do not have the staff to feed and stimulate them for elimination around-the-clock.”

Whom can I call to assist with injured Stray Animals in Dubai?

Unfortunately, there isn’t one set number or group in the country to call that can assist with injured animals. Most organisations are self-funded and run by volunteers and others may lack the proper resources. The best thing to do is to be proactive in such circumstances.

The tip of a cat’s ear is cut. What does this mean?

It’s a sign that a street cat has previously been spayed or neutered. Usually, it is a visual way of ensuring they get don’t trap and resubmitted for sterilization.

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I want to help the stray animals but I can’t adopt, is there anything else I can do?

Yes! Many of us want to help the stray animals in Dubai/UAE but we can’t adopt or are not ready for long term commitment due to our personal reasons. There are plenty of ways in which you can help these organizations apart from adopting pets:

1. Financial Donations- Almost all these organisations need financial help, most of them have hefty Vet Bills that are pending. You can help them either by donating money, by paying some of the Vet Bills.
2. Other Donations- Contact them and ask what Cat food/Litter, etc they need and you can drop it directly to them. (How about a Cat-Party on your birthday where you feed lots of these furry-friends?!)
3. Fostering- These organisations have a large number of pets with limited space and resources, you can help by fostering pets for a couple of months.
4. Transportation- Many organisations need help with transferring/relocation of pets both within as well as outside UAE. If you are travelling, ask them if they need help.
5. Spreading the message- Almost all of us have access to social media/WhatsApp/Etc, share their posts and messages so they can reach a larger audience, you never know who might be able to help.

Are there any animal welfare groups, etc I can get in touch for Stray Animals in Dubai?

Fortunately, many good-hearted Samaritans have come together to help stray animals in Dubai (UAE). These organizations/groups not only help stray animals but will also help you in adopting or fostering pets. This is not the complete list, I am sure there are many more, I have tried to list as many as I know of:

• Animal Welfare Abu Dhabi
• Sandy Paws
• Abu Dhabi Animal Shelter
• Feline Friends Abu Dhabi
• Animal Action UAE
• Yanni Animal Welfare
• Middle East Animal Foundation
• Rescue Animals in Need United Arab Emirates
• Stray Dogs Center UAQ
• K9 Friends Dubai
• Ras Al Khaimah Animal Welfare Centre
• UAQAC Umm Al Quwain Animal Care
• Red Paw Foundation
• Pets Adoption UAE
• Pet Adoptions JVC
• PARA.ae
• Adopt.a.cat.uae
• Amanda’s Animal Rescue
• 38smiles
• Adopt-a-friend UAE
• Moon Puppies
• Sniff Middle East
• New Life Rescue
• Yaw Dubai
• UAE Little Angels
• Wags and Purrs
• Animals trust AE
• Please tag in comments if you know any such organisation in UAE that’s not on this list so it can be added here to spread awareness.

Assistance can also be found in the form of Facebook groups as well. Check out The Bin Kitty Collective, Strays of Abu Dhabi, Save Dubai stray cats, New Life Rescue, Ajman strays, Cats & Dogs of Sharjah, RAK Feline Rescues, MEAF (SharjahAjmanUAQ) and Fujairah Animal Rescue.

Hope you enjoyed reading the post, together we can help the stray animals in Dubai (UAE). Do let me know if you have any suggestions/feedbacks/etc. Read more articles here.