Scandal in the United Arab Emirates. While the war in the Middle East has raged for ten days, and Iranian missiles and drones have struck Dubai, expatriates have decided to leave the kingdom. However, some of them did not hesitate to leave behind… their pets. Photos of animals abandoned in the street are circulating en masse on social networks, where dogs are notably tied to posts near trash cans. Several British media also revealed that appointments had been made with veterinarians for euthanasia.
Influencers are singled out for these practices. Maddy Burciaga, living in Dubai for years, left for Mauritius with her son and her husband, leaving their dog with the nanny – “Too complicated because too much paperwork”she argued. Another influencer, Sarah Lopez, also deserted Dubai by abandoning her cat. On Snapchat, she assured that the feline named “Bella” was a stray cat who lived in her garden.
Wave of indignation
These abandonments raise an outcry, in particular among animal rights associations. “A dog would never leave its human to save its skin. Dogs are willing to go through a war to stay with their humans. It’s the difference between loyalty… and comfort”is indignant about X the Animal League, which fights against abandonment and mistreatment. The association believes that Maddy Burciaga could have “at least start preparing for the repatriation of your dog”: “Go and ask for a strategy or in-depth reflection from this kind of superficial person… It’s a waste of time. Shame on her. »
For its part, if the K9 Friends Dubai association says it understands that “some families seek to return to their country of origin for security reasons”it encourages nationals to “take (their) pets”. “If you need contacts or information on relocation companies to arrange for the return of your pets, please call our office or send us a private message”indicates the association on Instagram.
Questioned by the German newspaper Bildthe administrator of the UAE Animal Community Instagram account admits, however, that administrative constraints may exist when repatriating your pet. The Brigitte Bardot Foundation also points to “conditions for entry of animals into the European Union”as “the obligation to titrate anti-rabies antibodies, which must be carried out 30 days after vaccination and three months before arrival in France”. A deadline that can be difficult to meet in times of war.
In 2022, after the launch of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, an exemption system was however put in place, allowing Ukrainians to leave their country with their animals. The Brigitte Bardot Foundation asked the Ministry of Agriculture to put in place a similar measure for foreign nationals living in the Middle East.
