Dubai: New police unit foils illegal attempt to sell wolf

Dubai - UAE law stipulates up to Dh500,000 for owning or breeding dangerous animals.

The Dubai Police has foiled an attempt by a man to illegally sell a wolf in the emirate.

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The case came to light when the newly-established Environmental and Archaeological Crimes Division at the General Department of Criminal Investigation received information that someone was trying to sell the wild animal in Dubai.

The accused was promptly arrested and referred to judicial authorities. Meanwhile, the wild animal was handed over to the Dubai Municipality to provide medical care and shelter.

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Brigadier Jamal Salem Al Jalaf, Director of Criminal Investigation Department at Dubai Police, said that Federal Law No. 22 of 2016 prohibits every natural or legal person from owning, possessing, trading and breeding dangerous animals.

It also states that violators shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a period of no less than one month and no more than six months; and subjected to a fine of no less than Dh10,000 and no more than Dh500,000, or either of the two penalties.

He also said said that using a wild and dangerous animal to threaten or scare people is punishable by imprisonment and fine of Dh100,000 going up to Dh700,000, while using a wild animal to attack a person could even result in a life sentence for the owner if the attack was intentional, or a jail term ranging from 3-7 years if the attack causes permanent disability to the victim.

The Environmental and Archaeological Crimes Division collaborates closely with Dubai Municipality to confiscate wild and dangerous animals, keep them away from residential areas, and transfer them to their natural inhabitants or to qualified and licensed animal welfare centres.

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Morever, possessing animals in unauthorised places could result in a fine of Dh10,000 up to Dh500,000 and a jail term of one month to six months, or both penalties.

Al Jalaf added that the law also punishes people for not providing shelter, food, trainings and trainers to dangerous animals, as well as hunting dangerous animals, transporting, exporting or tying them.

hesham@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai