As an increasing number of dogs and cats in Qatar are abandoned by their owners, the five rescue centers here that care for these animals have said that they are quickly running out of space and money.
Adding to the problem is that animals living on the streets are often in bad health, requiring extensive – and costly – medical care to return to full health, a requirement before shelters can find them a new home.
In this video, volunteers working at the centers urge residents to open their hearts, homes and wallets to the cause of abandoned animals here, saying they will not be able to continue operating at this frantic pace.
Thoughts?
Thank you Ms Windrum and DN for highlighting the extent of animal
abandonment in Doha. Of course this is a problem all over the world but
with education all the residents of Qatar can reduce its problem here.
I agree with the comment that expats are a large part of the problem,
they are. Lots of people move here and get an animal without any
thought of how long it will live and what they will do when they leave
the country, animals cost money to move around the world. These animals
are then abandoned often not spayed or neutered, (cats can have kittens
at 3 months of age and dogs at 6 months of age) and if they find a food
source can produce many offspring then their offspring produce
offspring and so on but it is not a nice safe life living on the
streets. As you can see from the video pics. I too saw this for myself
while working in a vets for many years. Please everyone, before you get
an animal do your research, make sure it’s breed suits your lifestyle
then you won’t run into problems, spay and neuter as soon as you can, if
you don’t want to pay to take it with you when you do leave Qatar then
simply do not get one. Temporary fostering is always an option, dog
walking and cat companionship is always welcomed with Qatar’s rescues as
is being a flight buddy for rescue animals that have found a home in
another country (just 10 mins of your time at either end of the
airport). Animals have heartbeats, personalities and feel pain just like us.
a great shame that in a country as rich as this there is not a state funded organisation for animal welfare – if only to pay for spaying and neutering .
And a moratorium on breeding until they all find homes! Those breeding are equally responsible for this mess.
I assume you mean those breeding animals to sell, not the animals who breed- they are not responsible for ‘this mess’
I won’t even justify that stupid comment with an answer!
Why do so many
people feel that animals are disposable? “Eh I really don’t want this thing anymore, lets drive it up the road and dump it.” Seriously, what is wrong with people!
I adopted two cats from QAWS, but I only did so AFTER researching the process of bringing pets into the US (where I plan to return). It’s a fairly straightforward process. I understand that certain countries make the process more difficult- especially with quarantine, but if that’s the case, then don’t adopt OR find a new home for your pet. Simple!
I agree completely! Before you take on a pet- check with your home countries laws with bringing it back home. Cost, quarantine,shipping procedures,etc. I know many people who planned to keep the animal until they realized it would cost the $3,000 to ship and the dog would be in quarantine for a month.
Well done DN for highlighting this. Totally agree that the problem stems largely from expats (east and west) not thinking before adopting.
I have three cats and one dog at the moment. All of them abandoned by previous owners. I have taken in many cats over the years. Some of them have been left on my doorstep. All were obviously pets, not feral, and yet none have ever come to me neutered or spayed. I cannot understand how anyone could have an unneutered male cat in their house. It must stink to high heaven and that is probably the time they decide to get rid. Quite a few are what we call the ‘Souq cats’. The ‘oh soooo cute when they are kittens but not so hot when they start scratching the furniture and the males start spraying ‘ fluffy Persian type. These fluffy breeds cant cope in the wild as their fur becomes matted and knotted and they end up in agony, hardly able to walk. Their eyes can’t cope with the harsh sunlight here. To throw them out or abandon them is the epitome of cruelty.
Though many might not agree with me, I personally think it’s better to act responsibly and if you won’t take them with you and can’t get them rehomed then pay to have them put down. But that’s just my opinion.
This government animal shelter will be a great support for animals. But I can’t understand why it is taking so long. This was talked about last year.
Qatar hosts breeding pogrammes for endangered species; Qatar is planning a state of the art Zoo. Why oh why can Qatar not fund the means to take care of all of the abandoned pets here in our streets? I personally feed and care for dozens, but it’s not enough, never could be and maybe just contributes to the problem, as I think many people here think animals particularly cats, can forage for themselves. Cats are predators, not scavengers. Pet cats thrown out suffer terribly, used to regular food and cool air. It breaks my heart when I find yet another matted and filthy animal crying on my doorstep, anxious to be picked up.The level of animal abuse is a disgrace.
STOP selling animals in the Souk.
LICENSE ownership
MAKE micro chipping affordable and mandatory
FUND the rescue centres
If you want a pet, PLEASE take one from a rescue centre, or your local vets who will be trying to rehome animals.