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An Abu Dhabi resident who travels to sparsely populated desert areas to feed a growing number of stray dogs in the UAE, says 'dumping season' has once again reiterated the need for people to Trap, Neuter and Return (TNR) pets.
For the past 12 months, Pakistani resident Zeeshan Ali has been travelling out to the Industrial City of Abu Dhabi (ICAD) almost daily, to check on and feed dogs who have been abandoned by their owners.
Travelling about 15km into the desert on most nights, Ali usually leaves his home around 10pm and returns just before midnight.
"There's usually around seven dogs that I feed there regularly, but just the other day I saw a litter of seven puppies. They are in the middle of nowhere. Seeing the stray population grow like this is common though, that's why we need to raise awareness of neutering and spaying dogs and cats here. It can reduce the stray animal population in the country."
Ali came to know of the vulnerable dogs during a work visit to one of the factories on the site last year.
"I saw a lot of dogs that were clearly in need of help. It's a newly developed industrial area with no residential population, shops, or malls, so no one was around to feed them," he said.
About six months ago, Ali began volunteering with Animal Action UAE. The charity now helps him out with food supplies when it can, but before linking up with the group, he would buy and prepare food for the dogs daily, using his own money.
"Dry food was too costly so I'd buy sausages, boil them and cut them up before heading out to feed the dogs. Most of them end up there because they are abandoned by owners. It's dumping season."
Spending up to Dh500 a month on food for the dogs, Ali often receives in-kind food donations from Animal Action UAE. But with its boarding house already full to the brim with cats and dogs, the growing stray population is becoming a strain on the welfare charity.
"Dogs can get pregnant every six months and cats every three months. If we TNR them, we can reduce the burden of having to care for and feed 10-15 additional stray kittens or puppies at any one time on a site," Natalie Jones from the charity told Khaleej Times. With 20 dogs and cats boarding at Animal Action UAE's shelter, Jones said it has "reached capacity" so can no longer take animals in.
As a recognised group under the umbrella of the Emirates Animal Welfare Society, Jones said if residents can't open their homes to animals, one way they can help is by sponsoring a TNR process for a stray.
"Ultimately, fostering or adopting out the animal is the end goal, but the TNR process is vital in reducing this overflowing stray animal population in the country," she added.
- kelly@khaleejtimes.com
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