Social media catching cats and delivering dogs in UAE

I feel so helpless and I have never loved anybody this much or felt this kind of pain. I am shattered," reads a heart-rending Facebook post by South African Celeste Van Rooyen whose pet cat went missing in Dubai two days ago.
It is unlikely that this Dubai photographer's plea for help to find her lost pet will go unheard, thanks to the huge community of animal lovers and activists who are turning pet police on social media in the UAE.
And it is no surprise many pet owners are turning to Facebook and Instagram seeking help to find their lost pet.
"I have been desperately looking for Mini all over Al Wasl. But my best hope is someone from one of the Facebook Groups will find her and hand her over to me," said Rooyen. Her post on the group 'Lost and Found Pets in the UAE' has since received nearly 40 comments with tips and advice.
In Abu Dhabi, Indian businessman Narpinder  Singh is also pinning his hopes on social media to find his missing Rottweiler Doonali. The two-and-a-half year old dog went missing from his home in Shamkha on Sunday.
"The first thing I did was to put her picture up on a Facebook group called  'Abu Dhabi Missing Pets, which has more than 800 active members," said Singh.
"She is a gentle dog and my biggest worry is that someone might have abducted her. The Facebook community of animal lovers has a strong network and I am hoping that someone will find her and contact me," said Singh.
Rampant number of missing pets 
According to animal volunteers, dozens of pets go missing in the UAE every week. Some volunteer groups say they have come across up to 50 cases during certain weeks.
Dr Susan Aylott, founder of Animal Action Abu Dhabi, said that the absence of microchipping is what makes the search for missing pets the most difficult.
"That is your first safety net. If a pet is microchipped and registered with the municipality, it is much easier to trace it," said Aylott.
While some pets go missing by wandering off from their neighbourhood, others are feared to have got abducted and sold in animal markets. And the rampant number of missing pets has prompted many to start Facebook communities with the purpose of helping pet owners locate their pets.
Wilma J Burton, founder of Missing Pets of Abu Dhabi, a Facebook community, said she launched the page in 2013 because there was a need. "I noticed there was no help available for pet owners whenever a pet went missing," Burton, a painter from the US told Khaleej Times. Since the launch, Burton says there is an average of 20 posts a week about missing pets.
"I am pleased to see the overwhelming response every time a post is put up. People take up the case; launch searches in their neighbourhoods and alert vets," said Burton. 
A similar FB group called 'Lost and Found Pets in the UAE' has been helping pet owners by sharing information on multiple platforms and offering tips on how to find a lost pet. Founder Magdalena Dudek says the group handles around 65 cases of missing pets in a month.
"There are more than 4000 active members and the network is growing bigger. We collectively comb various websites including Dubizzle and post information on multiple platforms on Facebook. We have helped many owners reunite with their pets," claimed Dudek.
Pet Police on Instagram
It is not just Facebook that is leading the way in reuniting owners with pets. Emirati Sarah Al Zaki, an animal activist from Sharjah says she turns to Instagram whenever someone wants help to find a lost pet.
"Instagram has a wide reach and people immediately connect when they see a pet's picture," said Al Zaki. She claims last month she helped find six pets that had gone missing.
"There was this case when I had helped rescue a dog from Sharjah. I immediately knew I had seen the dog somewhere. I traced the Indian couple that had posted the dog's picture on Instagram two months earlier. They could not believe it when I told them I had their dog," said Al Zaki who has recently launched an all-Emirati group called PARA (Protection of Animal Rights Association) UAE on social media.
This is where you start looking
. Bin Kitty Collective
. Lost and found pets in the UAE
. Arabian Ranches Pet Watch
. Springs Dubai Community
. Pets of Springs Communities
. The Greens Pet Owners
. Dogs in Dubai
. Lost and Found Pets in Dubai
. Street Paws
. Save the Motor City Cats
. Pets of Dubai
. Dubai Feline
. Responsible Pet Owners Association of Remraam, Dubai
. Palm Jumeirah Cat Community
. Save Dubai Stray Cats
. Animal Cops Dubai
. Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC) Pet Owners
. Saving Street Cats in the UAE
. UAE Rescuers United (against the sale of dogs)
. Pet People UAE
What to do when a pet goes missing
1) Immediately look in the surrounding area. Ask people to help you search.
2) Place their litter tray outside, near the boundary wall to help them find their way home.
3) Post details of the pet in any Facebook group with details of where and when it was lost, plus the last four numbers of her microchip.
4) Print flyers, with colour photo and reward - hand out to neighbours, gardeners, nannies and security folks.
5) Send a 'missing' poster to your residential community's office so they can put it up.
6) Carry the flyers with you and post in all supermarkets in the immediate area.
7) Send an email with the 'missing' flyer to all veterinarians in the UAE.
8) Walk around the area, calling her/his name. Best done in the evening/at night when it is cooler and quieter.
9) Search in the animal markets in case your pet has been sold.
10) Contact the municipality immediately with details and photos of the lost pet.
11) Check the lost and found sections of Dubizzle and other websites.
 anjana@khaleejtimes.com
Anjana is a humanist who reports on stories that impact lives