LBC has been told that dogs are being abandoned and shot, while veterinary practices are being "inundated" with requests to euthanise pets
Share
Cats and dogs belonging to ex-pats are being dumped on the streets of Dubai and left to fend for themselves as residents attempt to flee the war in the Middle East.
LBC has been told that dogs are being abandoned and shot, while veterinary practices are being "inundated" with requests to euthanise pets since the UAE city was struck by Iranian drones and missiles over the weekend.
One volunteer told us cats were being left at her door "every day" and that a Saluki had been tied so tightly to a lamppost that its collar had cut into its neck.
Another said she was seeing dozens of requests from expats to take in their animals.
There are also reports that dogs are being let loose by their owners as they attempt to cross the border into neighbouring Oman.
More than 100,000 British nationals have registered their presence in the wider Gulf region – while the first charter flight set to rescue stranded Britons was reportedly cancelled in Oman on Wednesday night.
Claire Hopkins, a British volunteer from Newport, Wales, who rescues dogs in the UAE, said a wave of panic was leading to a spike in abandonments.
She said: “We've been seeing a lot of stress and panic, as you can imagine, amongst pet owners.
“A lot are wanting to give back their adoptive pets. There are dogs starting to be abandoned.
“The problem is a lot of people haven't got their pets ready to travel. To take them to the UK for example, they need a rabies jab. That means a further delay of three weeks before (you) can travel.
“I'm sad to say that vets have had inquiries about euthanasia, which is disgusting.
“Most vets would pass them on to us, but we’re already full, so what are we going to do?”
Anso Stander is a South African national who runs the Six Hounds animal sanctuary in the UAE.
She told us she had been hit with an “influx” of requests to rescue abandoned cats and dogs.
“In one day alone, I had 27 messages”, she said.
“They don't know where they're going to put the animals because they're leaving the country, so people have been telling us very politely and discreetly that if we cannot take them, we're going to leave them.
“We’re talking about some people with 20 cats who are trying to leave the country.
“I just rescued 14 puppies, and I still need to go pick up four more.
“I've had two dogs that've been shot in the desert between the UAE and Oman.
“We've just received (a report of) a Saluki that's been tied so tight to a lamppost that his collar ripped his throat who I’m still looking for.
“People are literally dumping the cats in front of my shelter (and) the veterinary clinics.
“It’s selfish and heartless and there's absolutely no reason to panic at all. Let me tell you that this government has got everything under control.”
The volunteers told LBC that the situation could become even worse now that commercial flights are beginning to start again.
The air space over most of the region had been closed since Saturday, as Iran bombarded the Middle East with missiles and drones after the US and Israel killed its supreme leader in an airstrike.
And passengers scheduled to be on board the first British repatriation flight from Oman on Wednesday described a "total shambles" following a string of delays and technical issues, which allegedly caused panic attacks among some.
A Foreign Office spokesperson told LBC the delay was due to a “technical issue”, and that the flight would go ahead on Thursday.