I've lost count of the exact number of animals that have passed through my life and home in the 13 years I have lived in the UAE, but it’s at least 50, probably more.
First was Anzac, found in Satwa as a puppy and named after the day she came into my life. A desert dog the colour of popcorn, she was the embodiment of love and I was enraptured from the moment I laid eyes on her.
After two weeks, the question "when is the dog going?" fell away to silence. She was part of the family, even as she ate my sunglasses and stole the neighbour's shoes. Next was a skinny street cat I called Bagheera after the character in The Jungle Book. I lived on the first floor, and he would climb a tree to join in breakfast every morning.
Then there was the cat who lived on the kitchen window sill. With a serious (and I found out, incurable) mouth condition, he struggled to eat, so I supplied his nourishment mashed up. In return, he kept me company as I did the washing up.
When I moved into a bigger house, I started taking in foster cats from established charities such as Feline Friends.
I have had cats of all ages come through my doors, riddled with parasites and infections, with broken bones and non-working limbs. Kittens have come and gone, leaving their ringworm and teeth marks behind. My house has taken a battering, every soft surface having been used to sharpen claws.
There were the three long-haired cats that had been sealed into a box and left on the street in midsummer. Next came three "teenage" feline boys, who would fight to sit on my lap, meaning I regularly ended up with a face full of cat. When one disappeared, I was heartbroken, until, identified by his microchip, he turned up in Umm Suqeim, having somehow crossed the 12 lanes of Sheikh Zayed Road. An adventurer at heart.
I have scooped up birds that have flown into cars, setting them up, temporarily, of course, in a cage kept for precisely this purpose, and I briefly lived with a tortoise found wandering the streets. There was also the terrified rabbit found on the street, thrown out like a piece of rubbish.
I have come home to find a box of starving kittens on my doorstep, and once, when driving away from a garden centre, a young cat jumped into my car and simply refused to leave. It’s like he knew I was someone likely to take him in, and of course I took him home.
I volunteered for dog-walking at a rescue centre, and when a dog came and put his head in my lap, my heart was lost. He came home with me.
Another dog arrived jumping with fleas and chewed holes in all my bedding, and I had a pure-bred cocker spaniel dumped on me by someone going away for "the weekend". When he died recently, I cried for days.
'I have cried more tears than I thought possible’
Each time an animal is rehomed, I am left in tears, even though I know it is the fairy tale ending. Others have had harsher fates. I have witnessed animals poisoned, hit by cars, and collapse and die in the space of 15 minutes. I have lost count of the times I have had my heart broken, and have cried more tears than I thought possible.
I spend hundreds of dirhams every month on animal food, and I am on a first-name basis with the team at my local vet. I am an expert at introducing new animals into the household, and recycle pet food tins by the sackload. Every conceivable space seems to have an animal asleep in it (including sinks) and I beg friends to tell me the moment my house starts smelling of cats.
Some of Sarah’s recent foster friends:
As I write this, my eight-year-old pup is at the vet, hooked up to a drip to nurture his failing kidneys and fight a tick-borne parasite. And that was before we discovered the mass on his lungs. Three eight-week-old kittens are tearing around the living room "killing" a paper bag, while in the spare room, three even smaller kittens are sharpening their claws on my favourite chair.
I have been emotionally battered and financially impoverished. I live with second-hand furniture, my "nice" things all stored in high cupboards and I'm regularly woken by cat fights and dogs barking. There always seems to be a trail of blood somewhere in the house, my arms and legs are a blizzard of scars, and everything I own is punctured with teeth marks.
But this is why it’s worth it ...
I am repeatedly asked why I do this to myself and the answer is very simple. Giving sanctuary to an animal in desperate need is a beautiful opportunity. I offer shelter and food and in return they give me unconditional love.
I haven’t watched TV for years because frankly, nothing on the screen will ever be as entertaining as the animals in my house, and I have laughed until my sides ache at the chaos they create.
I have explored every inch of this beautiful country with an assortment of dogs by my side. I’ve watched frightened animals come out of their shells, and seen the happiness as they join their new family.
I am lucky to have spent the last thirteen years covered in cat fur and filled with joy
I have watched starved animals lose their haunted look and plump out into sleek, healthy adults, and watched children overcome their fear of animals as they tentatively pet one of my herd.
I have lost count of how many times my dogs and I have been invited to join in on a family's barbecue while out walking, and one of my favourite days was spent with an Emirati family. I threw balls for the dogs with the older matriarch, charmed by the laughter coming from under her burqa.
The children of my neighbourhood all know me as "aunty" because of the endless dog walking, and I will happily strike up conversation with anyone holding a dog lead.
Through collecting, nurturing, and rehoming animals, I have crossed paths with people I might never have met otherwise, bringing wonderful, enriching friendships into my life. I am lucky to have spent the past 13 years covered in cat fur and filled with joy.
If I had this time again, would I do the same? Absolutely. Fostering animals is quite simply the best thing I have ever done.
Some of Sarah’s kittens bewildered by her robo vacuum:
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Jawan
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THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: seven-speed dual clutch automatic
Power: 169bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh54,500
On sale: now
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Director: Shawn Levy
Rating: 3/5
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
UAE FIXTURES
October 18 – 7.30pm, UAE v Oman, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
October 19 – 7.30pm, UAE v Ireland, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
October 21 – 2.10pm, UAE v Hong Kong, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
October 22 – 2.10pm, UAE v Jersey, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
October 24 – 10am, UAE v Nigeria, Abu Dhabi Cricket Oval 1
October 27 – 7.30pm, UAE v Canada, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
October 29 – 2.10pm, Playoff 1 – A2 v B3; 7.30pm, Playoff 2 – A3 v B2, at Dubai International Stadium.
October 30 – 2.10pm, Playoff 3 – A4 v Loser of Play-off 1; 7.30pm, Playoff 4 – B4 v Loser of Play-off 2 at Dubai International Stadium
November 1 – 2.10pm, Semifinal 1 – B1 v Winner of Play-off 1; 7.30pm, Semifinal 2 – A1 v Winner of Play-off 2 at Dubai International Stadium
November 2 – 2.10pm, Third place Playoff – B1 v Winner of Play-off 1; 7.30pm, Final, at Dubai International Stadium
Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
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SPEC SHEET
Display: 10.4-inch IPS LCD, 400 nits, toughened glass
CPU: Unisoc T610; Mali G52 GPU
Memory: 4GB
Storage: 64GB, up to 512GB microSD
Camera: 8MP rear, 5MP front
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C, 3.5mm audio
Battery: 8200mAh, up to 10 hours video
Platform: Android 11
Audio: Stereo speakers, 2 mics
Durability: IP52
Biometrics: Face unlock
Price: Dh849
Types of bank fraud
1) Phishing
Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
2) Smishing
The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
3) Vishing
The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
4) SIM swap
Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
5) Identity theft
Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
6) Prize scams
Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE central contracts
Full time contracts
Rohan Mustafa, Ahmed Raza, Mohammed Usman, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Sultan Ahmed, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid
Part time contracts
Aryan Lakra, Ansh Tandon, Karthik Meiyappan, Rahul Bhatia, Alishan Sharafu, CP Rizwaan, Basil Hameed, Matiullah, Fahad Nawaz, Sanchit Sharma
