Dubai: Cat poisoning sparks outrage in community, residents demand justice

The poisoning of a cat in Dubai Creek Harbour community has sparked outrage among residents. Nearly 80 community members have rallied together, writing a letter to the developer and urging Emaar to report the incident to Dubai Police and initiate an investigation.

Timmy, the first stray cat to benefit from the community-funded Trap-Neuter-Return initiative, was discovered lifeless on May 28 near the marina promenade. An autopsy conducted by a local vet clinic in Al Jaddaf revealed severe internal haemorrhage from poisoning, likely caused by rat poison.

Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.

Carlos V, a French expat living in the neighbourhood who runs the Dubai Cats Rescue page on Instagram, mourned Timmy’s death. “He deserved so much better than this horrible end,” he posted.

Shefali, another cat lover, said the incident highlights a troubling trend. “Over the past ten months, several healthy and friendly cats from this area have gone missing. The last incident involved Timmy’s brother, who disappeared in early March." She said Timmy’s post-mortem confirmed their worst fears.

“It is a clear case of death by ingestion of significant amounts of rat poison, suspected to have been mixed with strong-smelling food with the intent to kill,” Shefali stated. “This is a case of premeditated killing of an innocent animal. Cats naturally avoid strong-smelling rat poison, and Timmy, being well-fed and familiar with the community, would not have accidentally ingested poison from a rat trap.”

Carlos V said that Timmy was around three years old and had been living in the same area since birth, under the care of the residents. “He was neutered, perfectly healthy, vet-checked, and very gentle and friendly.”

In their letter to Emaar on Monday, residents requested the developer share video footage from the area with authorities to identify the perpetrators of the crime. They also sought a reminder about the treatment of stray animals, emphasising that UAE law prohibits acts of violence and intentional harm and that violators will be reported to the authorities.

“We all have pets and children who frequent the Creek Harbour promenade and are extremely concerned about the risk of poisoned food being left in the area,” the letter stated. “We seek urgent attention to this matter from Emaar Community Management.”

• UAE: Venomous viper attacks 3 huskies, leaves them in critical condition