6 Great charities to help out with in Dubai
Have you had a ruff day? (Not sorry…had to be done) Well, take a second to think about the animals in the UAE who are homeless or need care…
There are a huge number of unwanted animals here in Dubai; strays that have been rescued and others have been left behind by owners who simply don’t want to care for them any longer. The below are non-profit organisations setup to help; many continue to operate with the help and generosity of their supporters, so take a minute to get to know the charities below and if you’re interested get yourself involved.
K9 friends
They are a voluntary run, non-profit organisation that spend their time helping out our canine friends; reuniting lost dogs with their owners or caring for lost animals until new homes can be found. They also offer educated talks and tours to schools and organised groups, in an effort to educate the public and to encourage a responsible dog-owning population in the UAE.
How can you help? You can do anything from volunteering, dog walking or fostering a dog (and the process doesn’t involve filling out tons of forms – it’s pretty straight forward, call up and you could be fostering or dog walking the next day). Or help financially by becoming a corporate sponsor, sponsoring a dog, sponsoring a kennel or making a one-off or regular donation, you can even pop into their Jebel Ali kennels and purchase some second hand books…check out the doggies while you’re there of course.
See their website for more details.
Feline Friends
This is a non-profit charity fully supported by the generosity of its volunteers and supporters. These guys look after sick and injured cats and kittens, provide shelter (in foster homes) for abandoned animals, give support to cat owners to encourage responsible care, promote awareness and educate the public to care for the cat population.
How can you help? Support of any kind is appreciated… whether it’s your time or even if you want to donate some spare cat food you’ve got lying around. They also accept financial support, volunteering or fostering.
Check out their website for more information.
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An animal rescue centre intent on helping the stray animals of Dubai. A small, personal group, they are less worried about volume but more the care and love of the animal and finding suitable new homes for them. A non-profit organisation; they cover cost with donations from the public, book sales with Greenheart Organic Farms, charging adoption fees for animals being re-homed and with charity bake sales.
How can you help? Donations can be given into PetZone near the Mazaya Centre. For more info on adopting and sponsoring an animal see here.
Turtle rehabilitation in Jumeirah
Since 2004 this project has seen the release of over 560 rescued sea turtles back into the ocean. Their aim is to rescue, rehabilitate and release wild sea turtles that are found injured and educate locals about sea turtle biology and the plight of the sea turtle. The centre is run in collaboration with Dubai’s Wildlife Protection Office, with essential veterinary support provided by the Dubai Falcon Clinic and the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory. Turtles are an endangered species and the ‘Hawksbill,’ a turtle native to the Middle East, is critically endangered with only 8,000 recorded globally…let’s get educated and help save the turtle!
How can you help? Keep an eye out…Cold blasts of weather (we get that sometimes!) cause turtles to wash up on our shores. If you happen to see one, give these guys a call and they will arrange collection. View the turtles at the outdoor enclosures at the Mina A’Salam hotel; it’s free and you don’t need to book. View feedings every Wednesday at 11am.
Check out their website for more info.
UAE Dolphin Project
This project was setup to investigate the dolphin population along our coastline and support the conservation of these local marine species. They run consistent research and educational programmes and a media campaign aimed to raise awareness and to promote the conservation of the dolphin species and the local marine environment.
How can you help? Become a sponsor, publicly endorse the project to raise awareness or volunteer (this can involve anything from going out to count dolphins to manning their stands at local events).
Check here for more information.
Friends of Animals Dubai
This is an organisation who firmly have the rights of animals at heart. They don’t provide a shelter but they do work directly with the community, providing information about discounted veterinary clinic rates and trying to find suitable homes for animals. They aim to promote animal awareness and kindness to animals, offer basic animal welfare or direct people to the appropriate help they might need for their animals.
How can you help? For more information on how to foster an animal click here.
