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29 March 2024

From evicted tenants to first animal rescue center in UAQ

Published
By Majorie van Leijen

A sigh of relief was breathed by animal friends in Umm al Quwain this week. There is no more eviction, and no more threat of having to send the almost 100 rescued dogs back on the street. Amira William his received full approval and support for a dedicated animal center.

The center will be named the Umm al Quwain Center for Stray Cats and Dogs, and is the first such center in the emirate. However, it all started in a residential villa, where volunteers dedicated their time and efforts to provide a solution to the increasing stray cat and dog population.

Earlier story:

Around 150 dogs were sheltered in a villa managed by what until now has been known as SOS Animal Rescue UAQ. The dogs were rescued from the street, vaccinated and re-homed if possible.

“From 2013 to 2014 over 400 animals including, dogs, cats, birds and a donkey have been rescued and 240 animals have been re-homed,” said Amira.

The work of the volunteers filled a daunting gap, as many stray dogs were living in the desert, coastal and urban areas of Umm Al Quwain, while no rescue group operated in the area.

However, not everybody was happy with the shelter. A few weeks ago, Amira was told by an aggregated neighbor that she had to move, as the smell and sound of the dogs were bothering him. The complaint was followed by an eviction notice, instructing the 150 dogs had to be removed within a two weeks period.

The two week period was a slap in the face of the animal friends, who had for long been trying to generate governmental support for an established center. At that moment, that center was closer than ever before, with only one last approval to be received.

The final word came this Sunday, said an excited Amira. “We have received the approval for the establishment of a dedicated center in the industrial area of Umm al Quwain. We will receive the land, water and electricity.

“We have been told that we have all the time to set up the center, so we do not have to move immediately. It will take some time before we are completely settled, but our dogs are saved, and that is great news.

“This is a huge step forward for Umm al Quwain, where not long ago not any initiative of such kind even existed,” said Amira. “The authorities are very excited about the center. The municipality receives calls about stray cats and dogs every day, and they will now divert these calls to a hotline directly linking to us.”

Now, a lot of work needs to be done. Apart from the space where the animals will be living, landscaping suitable to the specific needs of an animal shelter needs to be developed, such as boundary fencing.

“For the actual development of the center we are still relying on funds. We have carried out a fundraiser and gathered Dh55,000. This is about a quarter of what we need, and we can start with two prefabs, which is enough to house the dogs that are remaining in the shelter.

“We will organise a second fundraiser, and we are hoping that in the future the support from the authorities will extend to a fully funded center. It will be hard work, but we are more than happy with what we have reached so far,” Said Amira.