World3 min(s) read
Published 15:40 09 Mar 2026 GMT
Animal welfare groups in Dubai say they are being inundated with calls after a surge in pets reportedly abandoned by expats trying to leave the United Arab Emirates amid rising tensions across the Middle East.
Images circulating on social media appear to show dogs tied to lamp posts or bins and animals left without water, while vets and rescue groups in the region say they have received an unusually high number of requests from owners trying to rehome their pets before leaving the country.
Some animals have even reportedly been euthanized as owners struggle with travel restrictions and relocation rules.
Dog rescue organisation K9 Friends Dubai told reporters it has been overwhelmed by calls from people looking to give up their pets, including a growing number of abandoned puppies.
Claire Hopkins, a Dubai resident and volunteer with an animal charity, said the situation has escalated rapidly in recent days.
“Some people want to give back their adoptive pets. There are dogs starting to be abandoned,” she said.
Hopkins explained that travel restrictions and flight disruption have made it harder for pet owners to leave the UAE with animals.
“The airlines aren't taking animals at the moment anyway as the flights are operating a very reduced service,” she said.
“If you wanted to get a rabies jab, then you have to delay your travel by a further three weeks.
“I’m sorry to say that vets have had inquiries about euthanasia, which is disgusting.”
Pet boarding service The Barking Lot also warned that rescue shelters are already operating beyond their limits.
The organisation told The Telegraph that animal rescue centres in the city are “at breaking point”, reporting hundreds more abandoned animals than usual.
One radio host rescued an abandoned dog and posted about it on social.
A volunteer working with the group said some veterinary clinics have confirmed that owners are choosing to put down healthy animals rather than deal with the cost or paperwork involved in relocating them abroad.
“Some vets have even confirmed that owners are coming in to euthanize healthy pets because they don’t want to deal with relocation costs or paperwork,” the volunteer said.
Rescue workers say the scale of requests for help has been overwhelming.
Anso Stander, who runs the Six Hounds animal sanctuary, said she received 27 messages in a single day from people asking if her organisation could take abandoned animals.
In one case, a box containing a mother cat and several kittens was left at the sanctuary.
Stander also claimed that some residents attempting to flee the UAE via Oman were forced to abandon animals in the desert after being told pets could not cross the border.
She said two dogs had reportedly been shot in the desert between the UAE and Oman.
Stander criticised those abandoning their animals, calling the behaviour “selfish and heartless”.
She also insisted there was no need for panic.
“The government has got everything under control,” she said. “There’s absolutely no reason to panic at all.”
Dubai is home to a large expatriate population, many of whom relocate quickly when security concerns rise or travel becomes uncertain.
More than 100,000 British nationals have registered their presence in the wider Middle East with the UK Foreign Office, with many waiting for flights out of the region as tensions continue.
Animal welfare groups are now urging residents not to abandon pets and instead seek help from shelters or foster networks if they are unable to take their animals with them.
Rescuers say the immediate priority is ensuring that animals left behind are safely cared for while volunteers work to find them new homes.
