STARVING and abandoned pets left roaming Dubai as their expat owners flee air strikes will be provided with life-saving feeding stations.
Volunteers say hundreds of animals have been let loose as drones and cruise missiles rain down on the Gulf city.
Now the authorities here have announced that 12 AI-powered devices will be placed in parks across the emirate to provide food for the strays.
It comes as volunteers say they discovered a “skinny and scared” husky and golden retriever abandoned in a villa when their owners escaped the Iranian onslaught.
Other pitiful dogs have been left by the roadside tethered to lampposts while a mother cat and her four kittens were left in a crate outside the home of a rescue volunteer.
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And a rabbit was abandoned in a Sharjah park complete with its hutch and a bag of food.
There are also reports of pets being left to die in the desert after their owners tried to flee the United Arab Emirates via Oman.
Speaking to The Sun, Saad Kassis-Mohamed, Chairman of the Pet Humanitarian Rights Alliance (PHRA), said of the abandoned Dubai pets: “Every case breaks my heart.
“These animals didn’t choose to be here, their owners brought them, built a life with them, and then left them behind in a locked apartment, sometimes with a little food, sometimes with nothing at all.
“When I see those images coming through on social media, I feel grief and I feel anger. But mostly I feel urgency. Because while we are feeling things, an animal somewhere is running out of time.”
Pets are being left in the war zone because of travel restrictions or relocation costs.
Nikita Mehta Kanani, co founder of rescue network No Pet Left Behind UAE, said: “We recently had a husky and a golden retriever who were found skinny and scared in a villa after their owners left during the war.
“They went from a daycare straight into loving homes within a day.”
Volunteer Nikita begged owners: “Do not leave your pet on the street or unattended in the house. Pets cannot take care of themselves. They need food, water and human care.”
Now Dubai Municipality has announced it will dot the city with a dozen so-called Ehsan Stations to feed the strays in a pilot roll out.
The stations rely on an AI-based system to identify stray animals and dispense food.
The RSCA’s Hannah Mainds – who lived in the Gulf state for eight years – said: “I’ve seen animals left behind after their owners suddenly left Dubai.
“Some were microchipped and clearly once loved, but their families had gone. It’s heartbreaking for rescuers and frightening for the animals.”
The 39-year-old added: “People will understandably be deeply concerned for their safety amid rising tensions and the prospect of the war deepening.
“But animals shouldn’t become the forgotten victims when people leave a country in a crisis.
“Pets rely entirely on their owners. They can’t understand why their family has suddenly disappeared – so we urge those facing uncertainty to remember their animals and get a proper plan in place.”
