According to the British newspaper, veterinarians are receiving more and more messages about abandoned animals these days, while there has also been an increase in requests for euthanasia.
Many owners want to leave the city as quickly as possible and do not want to incur the costs or go through the administrative procedures required to move their pets to another country.
Animal welfare organization K9 Friends Dubai said it receives a large number of requests every day from owners who want to leave their dogs at the shelter so they can leave the United Arab Emirates.
At the same time, numerous calls are coming in about abandoned puppies and cats. Volunteers warn that shelters are already full and do not have the capacity to accept new animals.
An additional problem is the fact that fundraising and funding campaigns are strictly regulated in Dubai, while crowdfunding platforms like GoFundMe are not allowed.
Volunteer Claire Hopkins, who works with several animal welfare organizations, says many owners are panicking.
Due to the reduced number of flights, many airlines are currently not transporting animals, and even when transport is possible, additional procedures such as rabies vaccination are required, which can delay travel by several weeks.
A similar situation is described by Anso Stander, a South African who runs the Six Dogs animal shelter in Al Ain, UAE. She says she receives dozens of messages every day from people looking for homes for abandoned dogs and cats.
"I've received 27 messages in just one day. People are leaving the country and they're telling us very politely and discreetly that if we can't take them in, they're going to leave them. We're talking about people with 20 cats trying to leave the country," she said.
In one case, she added, a transporter with four kittens and their mother was left in front of her shelter, with a message from the owner that he had to urgently return to his country due to the situation in the region.
Stander also stated that two dogs were shot in the desert between the UAE and Oman.
"In times like these, animals suffer in silence. Some may be left in chaos. But we can't do it alone, we need sponsors to build an outdoor shelter for cats and cages for dogs, as well as for staff, food and vet costs," she added.
Activists warn that in times of crisis, animals often remain "silent victims" of conflicts and appeal for donor help to provide additional capacity, food, and veterinary care for the growing number of abandoned pets.
