British expats who are fleeing Dubai are leaving their pets on the streets amid their scramble to return home to escape the ongoing missile attacks engulfing the Middle East.
Thousands of British nationals caught up in the crisis are desperately seeking ways to return home, creating a surge in abandoned pets throughout the emirate.
Veterinary practices have reported a disturbing rise in requests to put down healthy animals, with owners unwilling to navigate the expense and bureaucracy of relocating their pets.
Claire Hopkins, a Dubai resident originally from Newport, Wales, who volunteers with multiple animal welfare organisations, said: "I'm sorry to say that vets have had inquiries about euthanasia, which is disgusting."
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Images showing dogs tethered to street furniture have spread across social media platforms, while online appeals for emergency pet adoptions have multiplied dramatically, the Daily Mail reports.
K9 Friends Dubai, a canine rehoming organisation, has been swamped by owners seeking to surrender their pets, alongside numerous calls regarding puppies found abandoned.
The Six Hounds animal sanctuary in Al Ain faces similar pressures, with South African founder Anso Stander receiving dozens of daily pleas for help.
Ms Hopkins explained that shelters are operating under immense financial strain, noting that fundraising is tightly controlled in the UAE and crowdfunding platforms like GoFundMe are prohibited.
Animal rescue organisations in the UAE are already at capacity
|GETTY
She said: "Some pet owners are stressed and panicking.
"It's right across the board, and I think the Brits are better than most, but you're talking about 200 different nationalities here in the UAE."
Flight operators have suspended animal transportation due to drastically reduced services, leaving pet owners with few options.
The animal welfare volunteer continued: "The airlines aren't taking animals at the moment anyway, as the flights are operating a very reduced service."
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A man who was originally stranded in Dubai arrives home to be greeted by his furry friend
|REUTERS
Ms Stander described the overwhelming volume of requests her sanctuary has received, stating: "In just one day, I had 27 messages."
She recounted how desperate owners have been blunt about their intentions, telling her: "People are leaving the country and telling us very politely and discreetly that if we can't take them, we're going to leave them."
Some individuals attempting to flee have as many as 20 cats requiring new homes.
One particularly distressing case involved a carrier containing kittens left at the sanctuary gates with a handwritten note apologising for the abandonment, explaining the owner was returning to their home country due to the current situation.
Ms Stander also revealed that two dogs had been shot in the desert area between the UAE and Oman.
Shelters across the UAE are struggling to cope with the influx while facing severe restrictions on raising funds to support their operations.
Ms Hopkins noted that most veterinary practices redirect owners seeking euthanasia to rescue organisations, but added: "We're already full."
Ms Stander issued an urgent appeal for financial support, explaining that her sanctuary requires sponsors for emergency outdoor cat enclosures, kennel facilities, staffing costs, food supplies and veterinary expenses.
She said: "In times like these, animals suffer silently. Some may be left behind in the chaos. But we cannot do this alone."
Despite the panic gripping pet owners, Ms Stander condemned those abandoning their animals as "selfish and heartless", insisting there was no justification for such behaviour.
She added: "Let me tell you that this government has got everything under control."
Six Hounds Animal Sanctuary can be found on Instagram, where they are accepting food and equipment donations.
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