7.04.2007
its about time...
WARNING: Disturbing Image In This Post.
LAW PREVENTING CRUELTY TO ANIMALS LIKELY SOON
By Emmanuelle Landais, Staff ReporterPublished: July 04, 2007, 00:00
Dubai: The corpse of a dog found hanging from a residential window in Satwa on Monday evening was removed following a call from Gulf News, more than 18 hours later after it was first noticed.
Residents from the neighbourhood either feigned ignorance or apathy when questioned about the dog which was found in the back alley of single storey houses by a passerby.
The owners of the dog have not yet been identified, but a resident said he believes the animal was the pet of a family that lives close by.
"It is a small yellow dog. It belongs to a girl. She lives here with her family. I don't know where they are," he said.
Gulf News knocked on the supposed owner's door, but no one answered.
Barbaric act
No complaints had been made to the Dubai Municipality's Veterinary Services yesterday until Gulf News informed the department about the dead animal left in a public area.
Within 30 minutes the municipality dispatched a team and the dog was cut down by waste disposal workers. They said the body would be taken to either Al Awir or Al Ghusais tip.
Jackie Radcliffe from K9 Friends called the act "barbaric" and said laws are needed to make examples of people who treat animals in this way.
"We have seen a few dogs that have been strung up and it's usually done by kids. It's really time we had a hotline number to report these things and laws to hold somebody accountable. Where are the laws? Who do we contact?" she said.
According to an official from the animal welfare department at the Ministry of Environment and Water, an animal welfare law is in its final stages but has not yet come into effect. "The law has been drafted and approved but we are still waiting for it to be effective," he said.
He said that any case of animal cruelty would be sent to the police and the accident would be registered and investigated. He said the penalty would either be financial or a prison sentence.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Europe Director, Poorva Joshipura, said residents of Satwa should be concerned. "According to leading mental health professionals and the police, perpetrators of violent acts against animals are often repeat offenders who pose a serious threat not only to other animals but to the community as a whole," she said.
WARNING: the following image is very disturbing...
Karl Jeffs/Gulf News
A small dog, probably a puppy, was left hanging by its leash outside a villa in Satwa. Gulf News called Dubai Municipality which promptly arrived to dispose of the animal.
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