"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress," Mahatma Gandhi once said, "can be judged by the way its animals are treated". Last year, the UAE introduced laws to protect animals and criminalise cruelty towards them. Animal rights activists welcomed the legislation, which imposed heavy penalties on those convicted of abusing or engaging in the illegal trade of animals. The previous year, a law introduced fines and a prison term for those found guilty of mistreating animals. Yet, as The National has reported, the abuse of animals continues.
The heartbreaking video of a cat caged in a Sharjah pet market – lying on its side and panting in the intense heat of the shop – has ignited calls for even harsher punishments for those who mistreat animals. As a Sharjah resident said: "Some of the animals we spotted were suffocating in cages." The authorities moved swiftly but the incident has prompted calls from animal rights activists for frequent surprise inspections at pet markets. This is a wise idea: the fear of being caught breaking the law can be a powerful deterrent and stop such mistreatment of animals – deemed a sin in Islam – from continuing unseen.
Authorities should act decisively and quickly when complaints of animal abuse are made. Any delay could have fatal consequences for defenceless creatures. Pet owners too must uphold their responsibilities to the animals in their care. There have been too many instances of residents simply dumping their pets when leaving the country or going on holiday, a deplorable act which should enlist penalties, whether financial or punitive. Microchipping pets so their owners can be traced could be one way to curb the number of pets being abandoned. There is a growing appreciation of the need to protect vulnerable animals in the UAE. Dubai Safari recently confiscated banned exotic animals from private owners. And last year Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, ordered a group of men caught torturing a cat to perform community service in Dubai Zoo. He set an example that such abominable cruelty should never be tolerated.
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
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
England Test squad
Joe Root (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Alastair Cook, Sam Curran, Keaton Jennings, Dawid Malan, Jamie Porter, Adil Rashid, Ben Stokes.
Straightforward ways to reduce sugar in your family's diet
- Ban fruit juice and sodas
- Eat a hearty breakfast that contains fats and wholegrains, such as peanut butter on multigrain toast or full-fat plain yoghurt with whole fruit and nuts, to avoid the need for a 10am snack
- Give young children plain yoghurt with whole fruits mashed into it
- Reduce the number of cakes, biscuits and sweets. Reserve them for a treat
- Don’t eat dessert every day
- Make your own smoothies. Always use the whole fruit to maintain the benefit of its fibre content and don’t add any sweeteners
- Always go for natural whole foods over processed, packaged foods. Ask yourself would your grandmother have eaten it?
- Read food labels if you really do feel the need to buy processed food
- Eat everything in moderation
PROFILE OF CURE.FIT
Started: July 2016
Founders: Mukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori
Based: Bangalore, India
Sector: Health & wellness
Size: 500 employees
Investment: $250 million
Investors: Accel, Oaktree Capital (US); Chiratae Ventures, Epiq Capital, Innoven Capital, Kalaari Capital, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Piramal Group’s Anand Piramal, Pratithi Investment Trust, Ratan Tata (India); and Unilever Ventures (Unilever’s global venture capital arm)
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 194hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 275Nm from 2,000-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: from Dh155,000
On sale: now
