E-Paper
Sign In
Dubai property agency lists rescue pets to helps abandoned dogs, cats find homes
The animals appear in living rooms, kitchens and bedrooms, giving potential adopters a visual sense of what it might look like to bring a pet home.
- PUBLISHED: Wed 29 Jul 2026, 1:48 PM
A Dubai agency is embedding rescue animals into its property portal, giving each dog and cat a listing style profile as shelters across the country struggle with rising abandonment rates.
For the first time in the UAE, property listings are being used to rehome rescue animals with around 50 dogs and cats set to appear on a real estate portal in the hope of finding permanent families.
Recommended For You
Haus & haus has begun digitally placing rescue dogs and cats into AI-generated home environments inspired by its actual listings. The animals appear in living rooms, kitchens and bedrooms, giving potential adopters a visual sense of what it might look like to bring a pet home.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp channels.
The campaign, which launched on Tuesday, is being run in partnership with K9 Friends and Animals & Us, a rescue organisation based in Fujairah. Around 50 animals are expected to be featured, each with a short bio and a direct link to the relevant rehoming organisation.
Shelters under pressure
The initiative comes as animal welfare groups across the UAE report a sharp rise in the number of abandoned pets. Many shelters are currently operating at or beyond capacity, leaving rescue volunteers stretched.
“Every successful adoption changes two lives — the animal’s and the family’s — while also creating space for rescue organisations to help the next pet in need,” said Siddhi Mulaokar, a volunteer at K9 Friends.
Michelle Francis Mathanda, CEO of Animals & Us in Fujairah, said the timing was welcome.
“We’re facing a problem that rehoming organisations across the region are dealing with, and home listings are the perfect platform to get people thinking about adoption while they’re already imagining their next chapter,” she said.
How it works
Each rescue animal is given a profile on the website, modelled on the format of a standard property listing. Visitors browsing homes can click through directly to the rehoming organisation to enquire about adoption.
Among the animals currently listed is Gucci, a three-year-old Desert Cross male who has spent his entire life in the K9 Friends shelter. His profile notes that he is nervous of the outside world but grows more confident with each outing.
Then there is Gordita, a one-year-old female Corgi Mix whose name means “little chubby one” in Spanish. Her listing describes her as a velcro dog, happiest glued to her person’s side, who was recently surrendered and needs a patient home to help her settle.
Lucy Nickerson, Marketing Director at haus & haus, said the idea grew out of a simple observation. “People visit our website every day imagining the next chapter of their lives. We realised that same journey could also help rescue animals begin theirs,” she said.
Charlie Bannan, Managing Director at haus & haus, said the campaign offered the company a chance to do something beyond its core business. “We’re always looking for new ways to connect with our customers, and this gave us an opportunity to do something genuinely meaningful along the way,” he said.
Ruqayya Alqaydi is a Special Correspondent with an endless curiosity to learn. Like a journalist on a caffeine overdrive, she is fuelled by passion and on a mission to uncover every gem in the UAE.