LENDING A PAW TO OUR FELINE FRIENDS

Hoping to find a home on a permanent or temporary basis, 34 cats were helped into the Jumeirah Veterinary Clinic last Saturday — December 18 — by non-profit organisation Feline Friends, which has been rescuing stray cats in the city for a long time.

By Lubna Almidfa (Staff Reporter)

Published: Fri 24 Dec 2004, 5:11 PM

Last updated: Thu 2 Apr 2015, 12:33 AM

Feline Friends has also been associated with the control of street cats through sterilisation. The organisation had first started providing relief to sick and injured cats and kittens in Abu Dhabi.

Open day leader Lissy Morris said, "50 per cent of the cats are stray. They have been found in construction sites. Twenty-five per cent of them were injured and had either been run over or hurt when we picked them up. Some of the cats present here just need a home and the others have been abandoned. We get a lot of calls from watchmen informing us of families who abandon their pets after leaving the country. Even more horrific is the number of cats that have been found tortured in the Satwa area, by boys, who spray, burn and shoot them. The Dubai police have helped us immensely in putting an end to these cruel acts."

A history of each cat is provided for its potential owner and Lissy stresses on the importance of not giving cats to people who don't fit the criteria specified by the organisation. In the past, the organisation found people taking expensive breeds home for their own profit.

The organisation's volunteers have full-time jobs and managing the entire event can be quite time-consuming. "We need the public's help, charity, patience, understanding because we are only volunteers. We don't do this full time."

Open days such as the one at the Jumeirah Veterinary Clinic are held once a month. Besides open days, the organisation holds its monthly meetings on the second Tuesday of every month at 6:30pm at the Dubai Country Club.

For more information log on to www.felinefriendsuae.com