A UAE animal rescue charity fears it may be forced to close this week, leaving dozens of cats, dogs and donkeys homeless.
The owner of the Animals and Us Rescue and Care Facility in Fujairah said the pandemic had pushed the operation to the brink of closure.
With dwindling financial backing, soaring vet bills and rent due this week, Michelle Francis said she was no longer able to cover her costs.
She said that if she did not come up with Dh55,000 for the facility’s lease, the charity would have to close.
“My only worry is that if I am asked to go, believe me there is nobody to do what I am doing,” she said.
“I can’t do it alone. Some people take dogs off the street or whatever, but I am doing 80 per cent of the work. It breaks my heart, honestly.”
People are just dumping dogs and it's not just one or two. We have taken in 52 dogs in the last four weeks. That's abnormal."
Ms Francis, who is a full-time teacher and runs the charity in her spare time with the help of volunteers, has been rescuing animals in the Emirates for 17 years.
Her organisation is registered under the umbrella of Emirates Animal Welfare Society, a non-profit that cares for abandoned pets.
Speaking to The National, she said the cost of running the centre was enormous, with the Dh195,000 rent paid in three instalments throughout the year.
She said she currently only had Dh10,000 out of the Dh65,000 needed to extend the lease of the premises.
The set up also owes a number of vets thousands of dirhams for past treatments and its disinfectant bill alone runs to Dh800 each week.
“We don’t have sand in our facility. The floors are all cemented. So it has to be cleaned,” she said.
“We have a lot of donkeys we are feeding and taking care of.”
Ms Francis said the pandemic has resulted in many more animals being abandoned on UAE’s streets.
She also pointed out that normally generous financial backers had scaled back their assistance due to job losses and pay cuts.
“It’s impacted us financially a lot,” she said. “And people are just dumping dogs and it’s not just one or two.
“People are dumping three or four puppies along with their mothers. We have taken in 52 dogs in the last four weeks. That’s abnormal.”
Owner of Stray Dogs Centre speaks about rescue of dog with large tumour
The Stray Dogs Centre in Umm Al Quwain, the largest non-profit animal shelter in the UAE, has also seen a drop in financial contributions and food from supporters.
It is helped by the fact it pays no rent, but volunteers who used to visit the centre at weekends to help exercise the dogs have been unable to due to travel restrictions caused by the pandemic.
“We can see it’s having quite a big effect on the dogs because they are not getting as much human interaction as they were,” said owner Amirah William.
The centre is also still being called to look after a lot of strays, including one in the worst shape Ms William has ever seen.
The dog, which has been named Toots, has a large tumour growing from its stomach.
She had been living on the streets in Ajman and was picked up along with another dog with injuries to its paw.
“She is probably one of the worst dogs we have rescued in that condition,” she said. “She would have died a horrible death on the streets.
“She had been spotted by some of the labourers and workers. Everybody was concerned but nobody could catch her.”
They tried three times and finally managed last week.
The dog is currently being treated at Vets 24 in Ras Al Khaimah, but the centre faces a bill of upwards of Dh10,000 for the treatment.
“They think it [the tumour] is malignant,” she said. “We are hoping it hasn’t spread and removing it will give her a better quality of life.
“I don’t know how this dog managed to survive as long as she has.”
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Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
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- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
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Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.
Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
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Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
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How tumultuous protests grew
- A fuel tax protest by French drivers appealed to wider anti-government sentiment
- Unlike previous French demonstrations there was no trade union or organised movement involved
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- At its height there were almost 300,000 on the streets in support
- Named after the high visibility jackets that drivers must keep in cars
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The biog
Born: Kuwait in 1986
Family: She is the youngest of seven siblings
Time in the UAE: 10 years
Hobbies: audiobooks and fitness: she works out every day, enjoying kickboxing and basketball
