For many residents of the United Arab Emirates, summer is associated with travel, holidays, and well-deserved rest. However, for animal rescuers, such a break does not exist.
As temperatures rise and residents leave the country for vacation or relocate, rescuers across the UAE report a relentless summer marked by abandoned animals, emergency medical cases, resource overload, as well as a decrease in volunteers and donors.
Independent ground rescuer and consultant Chiku Singh noted that her work continues even after feeding rounds are completed. She emphasized: 'You can finish a feeding round, but the feeding round never truly leaves you.'
Singh personally observed an increase in instances of animal abandonment this summer, particularly among cats, dogs, and other domestic pets. According to her, the situation seems more complex than in previous summers when animal abandonment was often linked to residents' vacations.
'This year, with regional tensions and more people moving or leaving the UAE entirely, it feels much worse,' she stated.
As an independent rescuer, Singh does not keep official statistics but reported an increase in animals needing food, Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs, emergency assistance, and medical treatment. She added: 'Cases never truly stop. One case ends, and the next message arrives.'
Among the cases that have come to Singh are abandoned animals found trying to survive among established feral colonies. She described one affectionate cat with a microchip that she recently discovered living in a wild colony in a park. Attempts to find its owner were unsuccessful because the contact details were no longer active.
'It transitioned from a home life to a life in a park feral cat colony,' she recounted. 'It adapted because it had no other choice, but that doesn't mean it's the life meant for it.'
Singh also recently noticed two dogs—a puppy and a medium-sized dog—among a colony she feeds. Both looked clean, frightened, and unfamiliar with street life, leading her to suspect they had been recently abandoned.
'Sometimes you see an animal once, immediately realize something is wrong, and then it disappears before you can help,' she said.
The summer heat adds another layer of complexity. The rescuer noted that some furry pets suffer more from the heat, especially those who have spent their entire lives indoors. She also freezes bottles of water and wraps them in towels, leaving them near some colonies, while simultaneously creating shaded areas so that food and water are not exposed to direct sunlight.
Rescue groups are also under pressure as animals require constant shelter. Claire Hopkins from RescueMe reported that the last few months have been 'relentless,' with a noticeable increase in animal transfers. 'We are seeing so many dogs that we cannot handle,' she said.
Hopkins reported that her team, managed by only two people, took in over 20 dogs in five days, compared to the small number of animals they usually take in during a week. She clarified that the shelter could accommodate more animals, but its capacity is limited by the availability of veterinarians and temporary housing. Finding foster homes has become increasingly difficult, while adoptions have been particularly slow this summer.
'Adoptions this summer have been very slow. Almost dead,' she said. Hopkins attributed the rise in animals from departing people, economic uncertainty, and what she called the growth of unlicensed breeding. She added that some rescue groups are also seeing more animals from the pet trade as purchasing patterns change. 'We all use our own funds. There are no rich rescuers here,' she said, adding that finding sponsors is also becoming harder.
Not all animal welfare work happens inside shelters. Rafah Arjeh, office manager and pet grooming salon owner, supports local rescuers as an individual volunteer. In the summer, she regularly checks, cleans, and replenishes supplies at public feeding and watering stations for cats, including one near her villa. For Arjeh, most of the work happens quietly and away from public attention.
Through her salon, Rwoofi Pet Grooming, she also provides free grooming for rescued cats and dogs that require treatment or are being prepared for adoption. 'I believe that even small, consistent actions, such as fresh water, proper food, clean feeding spots, education, and support for rescuers can make a real difference.'
For Singh, the biggest challenge is not just the number of animals but the inability to mentally switch off. She noted that most independent rescuers fund the majority of their work themselves, spending money on food, vet bills, TNR, and emergencies. She stressed that summer travel can reduce the pool of volunteers and private donors while the number of cases rises. The impact is both physical and emotional.
Singh keeps cat and dog food in her car because she never knows what she might encounter. Even in personal time, rescuers may immediately think about whether an animal needs medical attention, if it has a microchip, who can help, and where it might go. 'That's why rescuing is something you can't just turn off like a work mode,' Singh concluded.
Both rescuers emphasized that helping animals does not necessarily mean putting every stray animal into a home or shelter. Singh stated that healthy domestic cats can sometimes safely remain outdoors if they have regular access to food, clean water, shade, and a TNR program, provided someone is constantly monitoring them. She warned that taking in more animals than a person can financially or physically support can create another welfare problem. 'Rescuing should improve the animal's life, not just move its suffering from the street to a cage.'
Hopkins urged residents who cannot take an animal to consider fostering or sponsoring. 'Please do not buy. Please adopt. If you cannot adopt, foster. If you cannot do either, sponsor,' she advised. Arjeh added that the need for community support does not end when summer is over. 'Pets depend on people year-round, not just in the summer.'