Pet owners in Abu Dhabi must register their cats and dogs and have them microchipped under new plans to restrict abandonment and improve animal welfare.
The Animal Ownership System initiative is due to launch on February 3, and has been called a significant move forward.
Training on the process has been given to veterinary clinics by the Abu Dhabi Department for Municipalities and Transport. Registration must be completed through clinics, with owners urged to contact their regular vet to understand more about the process.
Nora Shackleford, clinical manager at the German Veterinary Clinic in Abu Dhabi, said owners should expect to pay up to Dh500 a year to have their pets fully vaccinated and registered. “One of the biggest impacts this will have is helping owners and pets to be easily reunited, which we deal with a lot,” she told The National.
“If missing pets are not microchipped or not registered anywhere, it can be almost impossible to put people back in touch with their pet. This is unifying all the pet owners, pet shops and veterinary clinics across Abu Dhabi – so it’s a great initiative.”
Many countries already have mandatory pet registration and a similar scheme is already up and running in Dubai. Those working in the animal care industry have been calling for the step to be taken in Abu Dhabi for some time.
Abandonment
In October 2023, more than 150 cats were dumped in Al Falah desert area in Abu Dhabi. Some were strays, but others were pets mistakenly rounded up by pest control. About 62 of the cats died, and the Department of Municipalities and Transport opened an investigation. Since then, animal welfare experts have called for mandatory registration to make it easier to track lost animals.
David Appleby lost three of his cats in Khalifa City in 2022. He suspected pest controllers took the animals under a trap, neuter and release programme. While he found Monty more than three months later, the other two, Blacky and Winnie, were never returned.
He set up microchipped.ae, a free platform to help owners track their pets, and said the government’s new system will offer a huge boost to animal welfare.
“This initiative not only benefits genuine pet owners by ensuring quicker reunification with lost pets, but it also contributes to the broader effort of controlling the overpopulation of stray animals,” he said.
“The creation of a centralised database will be crucial in enhancing the chances of recovering lost pets efficiently, which will bring much-needed peace of mind to responsible pet owners.”
Public education
Despite the expected benefits, he said more education was required on strays, and the public sector should have clear protocols in place to deal with colonies of cats.
“The guidelines to pet shops on setting standards for pet sales and education programmes are very good, and pest controllers have been retrained in new procedures for TNR, ensuring strays are returned to original locations after sterilisation,” said Mr Appleby.
“We are now seeing fewer stray colonies disappearing from public spaces, but the complaint procedure still needs addressing, and we also need to educate the private sector.
“Due to a lack of knowledge, they think calling in pest control to remove stray animals from their premises is the solution. The aspiration is for Abu Dhabi to be one of the best places for animal welfare globally, but these measures will take time to take effect.”
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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Ronaldo (4')
Morocco 0
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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What is Folia?
Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.
Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."
Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.
In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love".
There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.
While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Syria squad
Goalkeepers: Ibrahim Alma, Mahmoud Al Youssef, Ahmad Madania.
Defenders: Ahmad Al Salih, Moayad Ajan, Jehad Al Baour, Omar Midani, Amro Jenyat, Hussein Jwayed, Nadim Sabagh, Abdul Malek Anezan.
Midfielders: Mahmoud Al Mawas, Mohammed Osman, Osama Omari, Tamer Haj Mohamad, Ahmad Ashkar, Youssef Kalfa, Zaher Midani, Khaled Al Mobayed, Fahd Youssef.
Forwards: Omar Khribin, Omar Al Somah, Mardik Mardikian.
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Director: Milan Jhaveri
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What is hepatitis?
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, which can lead to fibrosis (scarring), cirrhosis or liver cancer.
There are 5 main hepatitis viruses, referred to as types A, B, C, D and E.
Hepatitis C is mostly transmitted through exposure to infective blood. This can occur through blood transfusions, contaminated injections during medical procedures, and through injecting drugs. Sexual transmission is also possible, but is much less common.
People infected with hepatitis C experience few or no symptoms, meaning they can live with the virus for years without being diagnosed. This delay in treatment can increase the risk of significant liver damage.
There are an estimated 170 million carriers of Hepatitis C around the world.
The virus causes approximately 399,000 fatalities each year worldwide, according to WHO.
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Friday Leganes v Alaves, 10.15pm; Valencia v Las Palmas, 12.15am
Saturday Celta Vigo v Real Sociedad, 8.15pm; Girona v Atletico Madrid, 10.15pm; Sevilla v Espanyol, 12.15am
Sunday Athletic Bilbao v Getafe, 8.15am; Barcelona v Real Betis, 10.15pm; Deportivo v Real Madrid, 12.15am
Monday Levante v Villarreal, 10.15pm; Malaga v Eibar, midnight
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
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