This time of year in the UAE depresses me! It's the time of year when 'pets' across the country get dumped, mostly by expats leaving for good or going away on summer vacation and suddenly realizing that they haven't made provision for their furry friend and all the kennels are fully booked, or they haven't put money aside to cover relocation costs, which, depending which country you're relocating to can include flights, vet checks and quarantine.
Rescue groups and shelters are bursting at the seams, with waiting lists for dogs and cats in desperate need of homes. BUT, there's one big sad reality, any time a small, pure bred dog comes up for rehoming or adoption, people line up to take it, while the mixed breed dogs can wait days, weeks, months and in some tragic cases years to find their forever home.
This is a reality that I have never understood at all. The majority of mixed breed dogs, get no bigger than knee high and it is a FACT that mixed breed dogs are generally healthier and require less maintenance than pure breds. Everyone I know with a pure bred dog, has spent a small fortune on vet bills, because they're so in-bred, that they suffer from genetic health issues, especially snub-nosed breeds and dogs with lots of skin folds.
Your 'designer' dog or a Cockapoo, or Labradoodle that you spent thousands on is STILL a mongrel anyway you want to put it.
I have two mixed breed desert dogs and they are just awesome, kind, affectionate, rounded personalities, never had any health issues (despite one of them being disabled) and I would never have anything else.
In short, if you're thinking about adding a furry friend to your family, please give the mixed breeds a chance, go in with an open mind and heart, because most of the time, dogs choose YOU, not the other way around and you might be pleasantly surprised. Consider the needs of any animal before adding one to your family - vet bills, relocation costs, quarantine - all the things that it'll cost you if and when you leave the UAE. An animal might only be around for part of your life, but you should be there for the entirety of its life. Dogs have feelings and being abandoned causes upset, confusion and sadness for them. They simply are not things you throw away like rubbish and if you're not prepared to be a responsible owner, then please, PLEASE do not get a pet to start with.
I applaud all the rescue groups and shelters who take on these poor souls, because all they want is a little love and a place to call their forever home.
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