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By Jordan King
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Animal rescue groups in Dubai have reported a surge in abandoned pets as residents leave the United Arab Emirates amid escalating regional tensions.
Kennels and shelters said they were "overcrowded" or at capacity, while reports on social media claim animals have been left without food and water for days.
It comes after missiles have struck sites within the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28.
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What To Know
Rescue groups said the spike in pet abandonments had been exacerbated by the pace of departures since the outbreak of conflict in Iran, along with flight limitations for animals and relocation paperwork.
K9 Friends Dubai, a dog-rehoming group, told the British newspaper The Telegraph that it had been "overwhelmed with the number of calls for abandoned puppies or owners wanting to leave behind pets."
The group posted an appeal on Instagram last week urging people fleeing Dubai to take their pets with them.
Aditi Gouri, the owner of the pet boarding service The Barking Lot, also told the newspaper that shelters were "overcrowded," adding that it was trying to be "flexible" due to the "trying times" the region is facing.
A video shared widely on social media shows a cat on a balcony looking into a home through the glass door, crying loudly.
"Crying for days. No food. No water. Left alone with his own feces," the video caption says.
Meanwhile Hannah Mainds, a branch chief executive of Britain's Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), said: "I've seen animals left behind after their owners suddenly left Dubai... Some were microchipped and clearly once loved, but their families had gone. It's heartbreaking for rescuers and frightening for the animals."
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What People Are Saying
K9 Friends Dubai said in a post on Instagram: "We understand the situation is tense and there might be families trying to return to their home countries for safety, we urge you to take your pets with you. If you need contacts and relocation company information on how to take your pets back with you please call our office or DM us for the appropriate contacts."
Louise Hastie, CEO of the charity War Paws, told The Business Standard: "It's not just a problem there, it's happening across Iraq and Ukraine as well… some people just don't see pets the way we do.
"Abandoning pets at the border or on the streets, not even leaving them with the vet – there's really no excuse for it, Dubai is an affluent country."
Dubai Street Kitties wrote on Instagram, according to The Guardian: "We are at full capacity. Every room is full. Every space is taken. And still, the calls do not stop. Injured cats. Abandoned cats. Kittens left to survive alone. There is always another life that needs help."
Mainds said: "People will understandably be deeply concerned for their safety amid rising tensions and the prospect of the war deepening. But animals shouldn't become the forgotten victims when people leave a country in a crisis.
"Pets rely entirely on their owners. They can't understand why their family has suddenly disappeared - so we urge those facing uncertainty to remember their animals and get a proper plan in place."
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