DUBAI // Lost camels, stray cats, a wayward baboon and farm animals being kept in villas – it’s all in a day’s work for the Dubai Municipality’s animal welfare unit.
Near Oud Al Muteena, a newly built-up area on the border with Sharjah, a team of inspectors and welfare workers arrive at a villa after having received a call about stray cats roaming its gardens.
The woman who owns the property wants help from the municipality to remove the unwanted felines that are known to scavange dustbins for food.
The team springs into action, setting up steel traps with strong-smelling fish treats to entice the strays.
Thani Al Suwaidi, assistant veterinary health inspector at the public health services department, explains that as the emirate is growing so too is the problem of street animals – especially in new areas.
“People are leaving behind their garbage and where there is food there will be street animals,” he said.
The next task for the team was to set traps for stray cats at known hotspots, such as Al Barsha, where they catch, neuter and release the animals to reduce overpopulation.
The team, which is on call 24 hours a day, are also on the lookout for abandoned animals or strays during their working hours. Their day starts early, about 6am, before such animals seek cover from the stifling heat.
During a weekend shift, the team came across 18 lost camels.
“We found them on the street. We have no idea how they got there,” said Mr Al Suwaidi.
Local laws stipulate that fines are issued to owners of lost animals that are found under the classification of “mistreating”. Fines start at Dh500 for lost dogs and increase for larger animals or repeat offenders.
Other animals that have ended up at the unit’s Al Khawaneej centre have simply been abandoned. Their owners can’t be traced, or the owners themselves have requested for the team to take unwanted animals.
At the centre’s kennels, the current guests include a pair of beagles who were unwanted gifts, a bouncing labrador who became lost and a skinny saluki whose story is unknown.
In case their owners resurface, dogs and cats are kept for three days. After that, the team begins to look for alternative homes for them, often through local animal-welfare organisations.
Next up on the shift are the rounds to investigate complaints. Mr Al Suwaidi said complaints of farm animals living in neighbourhood villas, which is strictly banned under local laws, were common.
“We have found sheep, goats, chickens, gazelles, even a cow, living in villas. This is not allowed.”
The team also receives calls about owners mistreating or neglecting animals and of dogs and cats being kept in unsuitable conditions.
Such visits can often be a long process. The team are unable to enter a private premise without police or an order from prosecutors, unless the owner agrees to let the inspectors in.
If an owner is found to have animals in unsuitable conditions, such as in not providing them with enough food, water or access to air conditioning, or simply unsanitary surroundings, they are warned. Repeat offenders are prosecuted.
A frequent complaint is the numbers of dogs living in villas – the law stipulates a maximum of two in one house.
Other complaints, however, can be more unusual.
In January, Mr Al Suwaidi helped catch a young lioness roaming near Al Barsha, while another time it was a baboon.
Roaming peacocks, usually escaped from palaces, are often captured and returned to their owners.
“At least my job is never boring,” he said. “It keeps you active, it keeps you on your feet.”
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