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Dubai's new cat shelter sees one adoption every hour since launch
When Khaleej Times visited the shelter in Warsan, it was busy as prospective adopters poured in looking for a pet
- PUBLISHED: Fri 31 Jul 2026, 6:00 AM
A new integrated pet shelter launched by Dubai Municipality has seen a tremendous response from the public, with approximately one cat being adopted every hour since its launch earlier this week.
So far, a total of 18 cats have been placed in their loving homes, 20 hours since the centre opened on Monday. The facility is open from 10am to 3pm, Monday to Thursday.
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“We receive either stray cats or injured, abandoned or lost pets and reunite them with their owners,” said Dr Abdulla Abdullatif Alhammadi, veterinarian at Dubai Municipality. “If they don't have an owner, we thoroughly check their health and give them the vaccinations and medicines they need. Then we put them up for adoption.”
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When Khaleej Times visited the facility on Thursday, it was busy as prospective adopters poured into the centre in Warsan looking for a pet. Separated into different cubicles with a cat tree and wooden benches, the adoption corner has space for visitors to interact with the various cats.
Love at first sight
For Dubai resident Foudil Bouadda, it was almost love at first sight. The grey, furry cat he was interacting with immediately put its face into his hand.
"He was just asking me to take him home," he chuckled.
It was the third time Foudil had driven to Warsan to visit the centre. "Each time I kept missing the opening time," he said. "But today, I got here in time and have found the buddy I am going to take home."
He always had a cat in his home country but has not had one since moving to Dubai. "I wanted to adopt, but the listings on Facebook felt like a scam," he explained. "They were either breeders or people who were harming the cats in one way or the other. So when I heard of a Dubai Municipality-run shelter, I felt like it was the best place to adopt from."
"I knew that because Dubai Municipality was doing it, it would be really good — but this centre surpassed my expectations in every respect," Foudil added. "The animals are well taken care of, the adoption process is streamlined, and everything has been managed really well."
State-of-the-art centre
Located in Warsan 3, the shelter has the capacity to house approximately 200 cats at a time. Every cat undergoes a rigorous health check-up to ensure that they are healthy and free from any diseases. Cats that are not ready to be adopted are kept in a separate part of the centre that is not accessible to the public.
Once they are ready to be adopted, a passport is issued to the animal, which documents its health history and vaccination record. “It is important to make sure that our cats are well and healthy before they are adopted,” said Dr Abdulla. As of now, there is no option for cat rescuers or fosterers to drop off cats there.
While some cats at the centre are newborn kittens, others are older. Little Bear, a particularly cuddly cat who has spent the longest time at the shelter, is still waiting for his forever home. "He is a really cute and cuddly cat, but he has been here for four days and hasn't found his forever home yet," Dr Abdulla said. "Hopefully soon."
Those wishing to adopt must verify they live in a space suitable for raising a cat. Although the adoption itself is free, residents pay a fee of Dh230 as service charges.
Careful consideration
Dr Abdulla said that every precaution is being taken to ensure that those who want to adopt are matched with a suitable cat. “On our website, we list all the information about the cats, and we give a description about their nature,” he said. “We describe whether the cat is very active or quiet or happy. We want to make sure that those who want to adopt pick a cat that fits their needs.”
He added that he always advises those coming into the centre to consider their decision carefully. “Whenever someone wants to adopt, I always encourage them to really think about it,” Dr Abdulla added. “It cannot be an impulse decision. It must be really well thought out because a pet is not a toy.”
