UAE Pet Lovers

At 23, the founder of the UAE Pet Lovers is an Emirati atthe forefront of a growing movement to rescue animals and educate the community about their welfare.

“People just don’t put a lot of thought or care into the pets they get, with many of the kittens and puppies ending up abandoned once they grow up as they weren’t considered cute anymore,” says Ms al Dhaheri, who often goes to schools to educate young children about the importance of mercy and kindness towards animals.

After a slow start, UAE Pet Lovers has more than 1,500 members and growing – but there is more work to be done.

“There is a new trend among the young Emiratis of buying pets as birthday gifts, which, of course, we are against and are doing everything possible to stop that from spreading,” says Ms al Dhaheri.

With no options for earning a veterinary degree available to her within the UAE, Ms al Dhaheri instead took up hospitality management. She juggles school and a part-time job at a hotel with her work taking care of animals in distress. In the most recent challenge, Abu Dhabi Municipality has said the pet hotel must be run in a building, and not a villa with a garden. However, Ms al Dhaheri refuses to give up her vision and she believes some of the UAE’s wealth should be used to accommodate its strays.

“Change never comes easy, and someone has to be the first to do this,” she says. “I will not give up on our dream of providing a safe haven for the animals in the UAE.”

[The National]