Control suppliers, say campaigners

DUBAI // Rescue workers have called for a moratorium on pet shop trade licences, a restriction on animal imports and a crackdown on backstreet breeders to stem abandonment of pets.

They said that pet shops are opening in an already overcrowded market, while more illegal breeders are farming out pets to the public, contributing to an “epidemic” of unwanted cats and dogs.

“The pet trade is a very lucrative sector here,” said Debbie Lawson, of the Middle East Animal Foundation.

“It is a multi, multi-million dirham industry.”

“It is difficult to say how many pet shops there are – but there are hundreds – and more are opening every week.”

Calming measures should be introduced, she said.

“The numbers of abandoned animals are so dire that the animal welfare organisations here request the government to introduce a moratorium on issuing pet shop trade licences whilst trying to get the problem under control.

“Then, going forward, we strongly request that the government would introduce annual quotas to limit the number of pet shop trade licences.”

Quotas are also needed to restrict the number of animals being brought in, she said.

Jackie Ratcliffe, of K9 Friends, said there are “far too many” pet shops, which are the first port of call for many people looking for an animal. “The trouble is, when you buy from a pet shop they will bring in more to replace those sold,” she said. “We get a lot of people saying they rescued it from a pet shop.

“Sadly, that just encourages the shop to bring in even more.”

Ms Lawson said those illegally selling pets are also compounding the problem.

In Dubai, pet traders can only sell animals with a licence from the Dubai Department of Economic Development and approvals and documentation from Dubai Municipality and the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment. Animals must also be sold from licensed premises.

Despite this, pets are still being sold online or out of homes.

“Just look online,” said Ms Lawson. “These breeders are not paying for premises, they are not paying for trade licences. It is a black market and they are prolific.”

Lesley Muncey, of Feline Friends, said because of the sheer number of unwanted animals there should be a ban on pet imports until the problem is under control.

Feline Friends received an “unbelievable” number of calls asking to pick up kittens which have been bought from pet shops or from illegal traders operating out of villas, flats or even sold in car parks, she said.

Those animals have been thrown out on the street because of the unhygienic conditions they have been kept, leading to diseases such as ringworm, said Ms Muncey. The kittens are then sold to an unsuspecting customer who would rather abandon the animal than pay for costly vet treatment.