Boarding & Daycare

Everything is about training. Everything. We think about this a lot.

Many organisations, whether it's one like ours or an IT company or a bank or a hotel or a hospital or a veterinary clinic... you name it, just about every one of them makes public claims about how well they train their staff. A few actually do.

It is not difficult to find real animals lovers ~ so many of us are. It can be very very difficult, however, to find real animal lovers who are also committed to the rigours of a very serious Animal Care and Animal Relocations training program and the very long, intense hours, months and sometimes years involved in becoming a truly knowledgeable and experienced Animal Handler and Relocations specialist. It takes almost immeasurable amounts of dedicated training and group effort to coordinate Animal Care and Relocations people to work in an organised and thoughtful way as they all come together to provide care for your pets and other animals. And when we find the right people (or they find us!), we actually rejoice. (Yeah, sounds corny, we know. But it's true.)

Yes, Animal Care is first and foremost about loving animals of all kinds ~ but it's also much more than this. And yes, most, if not all pet owners implicitly understand that the people they entrust with their pets must have gone through some sort of training, just like in any other business. But how much? To what extent? And in what areas exactly?

We are not vets, that's true, and perhaps it seems crazy to suggest that there is something complicated or especially technically demanding about what we do. Indeed, a lot of the time it really is a vocation with lots of pleasure mixed in because, after all, our job is to be with animals all day! How cool is that?

Yet, just as you expect there to be fun and play and good food and water and cuddles (we do too), don't you also actually expect, when you think about it, that someone who really has learned about animals of all kinds is watching over your pet when you're not there or when relocating?; someone who actually knows when things are good with your pet but also can identify when something may not be so good and knows what to do about it?; someone... some people... with love for and interest in your critters, but also with skill and an experienced eye, with the support of an organisation behind them which merits and requires not only the love of animals, but studious, committed knowledge? As with just about everything in life, a thing can be done with great care, attention to detail and enormous preparedness... or less so.

So we want you to know, whether or not it seems kinda crazy, that all our Animal Handlers and all support staff go through months of detailed training in Animal Care and customer care procedures and protocols, shaped by almost 30 years experience, before they work independently with your pets and you. And that it is more than a full year of on-going close supervision before our more experienced Animal Handlers finally, gently toss those newbies out of our newbie training nest. The same is true of our Global Relocations Account Managers and their support staff too.

We know it can seem immodest to flap on about ourselves in this way, but we think training is so important that we often think of ourselves as a training organisation first and then as a pet care and relocations company. How can we care for animals and relocate them unless we really carefully know what we need to know, with all the positive, and in our view, necessary results that come from this. We believe this is what makes the difference here, so we're shouting out about it a bit.

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If you're thinking this is all just a lot of dishonest blather meant only to get you through our doors, we understand. Who can you trust?

But our doors are always open. Any one of you is welcome at any time to come see us; not only for a casual visit, but to inspect. You are welcome to spend a day with us, or just a few hours; to get behind the scenes and work with our staff (in Boarding & Daycare or Global Relocations) or just ask a ton of questions. There are no time limits, no nooks and crannies you're not allowed to see (and not everything is picturesque!), and we're not only happy but in fact eager to show you as much of the way we work as you might be interested in.

Love for animals and training is the basis for all we do. We genuinely invite you to put us to the test.

We also think and do a lot about your pet's health... and not just from a general point of view but specifically and carefully about how to know what your pet's health is in detail. We do a lot to continue knowing through constant monitoring and documenting so that on any given day, at any given moment, we know and can communicate to each other within DKC, to you, and to your vet exactly how your pet has been doing, in case that knowledge is ever required.

• We carefully and meticulously (and usually a little playfully too) give your pet a good once-over when he or she arrives so that we know his or her current condition in just about every respect. This means that following the hugs and cuddles and smiles upon arrival, we check his or her ears, eyes, teeth, nails and paws, body and coat, mood and temperament... every little thing to make sure we know what's going on. You'd be amazed how much we learn and how, usually (though not always!), they love the attention! Oh, and we do this for birds and rabbits and, well, everyone who comes to stay with us.

And if our human customers ask nicely, we'll do it for them too! (you cheeky devil, you )

• If you have a pet on medication, bring him or her to us. We have careful protocols to ensure that medication is given correctly in all respects, including for diabetics, and staff at the ready any time of day. And of course we work very closely with the vets when needed.

• Every single day, for every single pet in our care, we monitor and document how much they eat, whether or not they are toileting and how well or poorly, and give them a physical once-over during cuddle sessions to make sure they're well. We also weigh each and every dog and cat at least every two weeks, even when there is no suspicion of a problem, just to make sure we are sure that all is good. We have a lot of staff doing a lot of careful work to make sure we know your pets are well, and it's amazing how much we learn while playing ball with them in our yards, dangling toys in front of your felines, or talkin' to Peter the Parrot.

• Every single day, every single animal in our care gets the attention and real interest you'd want and expect from us, but while this is happening they are also getting our experienced eye as we monitor and document their overall and specific wellbeing. If anything suspicious develops, we have a behavioural and medically-related history to help us understand how he or she is and to act on things quickly.

We know you don't really want to think about things going wrong, but sometimes they do, whether your pet is in your own home with you, with a friend or with us. We try very hard to know exactly what's going on at all times. When there is nothing wrong, and usually there isn't, then fun, love, barking, meowing and squawking is the name of the game.

We have a selection of foods we have come to rely on for all the animals in our care... dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, tortoises, guinea pigs, lizards... you name it.

Eukanuba, Iams, Hill's and Royal Canin for dogs and cats. These products are all widely regarded by veterinarians worldwide and in the research as genuinely premium foods for general daily feeding. Furthermore, all these products have special veterinary diet product lines of one type or another which address specific nutritional or dietary needs that your pet might have as diagnosed and prescribed by your vet, which we will more than happily provide your pet while in our care if your vet provides us with that instruction.

Specifically "designed" "salads" for rabbits and rodents and birds based on their actual physiological needs, not food out of a box from your local grocer.

And believe it or not (please believe it!), these choices are all based on real research we've done to make sure we're doing right by you and your pet, and we continue to research and make improvements in this area as we go along.

If you'd like to know more about how and why we feed your pets the way we do, just ask. If you want the "recipe" for our "salads", you're welcome to them (it's actually not that complicated but it is carefully considered).

If you have your own special diet for your pet, that's fine too. Just let us know what it is and in most cases we can make that happen, usually at no additional charge to you.

The point is that we do not just purchase products sold by clever people who say it's the best. All products are carefully researched by us so that we have confidence in them. Then if experience suggests one thing or another about a product, or about one of our "salads", we pay close attention and act on it.

We know that some of you have pets who can sometimes be a little difficult to get along with ~ dogs, cats, birds and others who are sometimes either a little edgy with strangers (we're not that strange, are we?) or, truthfully, just downright aggressive.

Well, all our Handlers are trained to work with aggressive animals of all kinds and our more senior staff have significant experience.

You and your pet are always welcome here.

We know it, you know it, everyone talks about it: dogs are pack animals and love to play and mix it up with other dogs.

We take this seriously. In fact, when you go through our admission process, one of the questions we'll ask you is whether or not you'd like your dog to share an enclosure with another dog even if not from the same family. We'll also ask if you would like us to introduce your dog to other dogs during playtime in our yards, even if they're not sharing the same enclosure. We'd like you to consider this seriously because we, like many, believe that socializing dogs is not only good for them but important for them (and possibly important for you and your family too).

We will not socialize your dog, either by sharing enclosures or during playtime, unless you tell us we can. Trust this.

We know that a fair number of you feel that your dog will not socialize well at all; either too shy and afraid, or perhaps too much potential for aggressiveness. That's true. Not every dog gets along well with others or immediately wants to. And we're very careful about respecting their characters and your wishes in this regard.

However, we also know that a great many dogs do love to socialize. We know that a lot of dogs who are believed by their owners not to socialize well, or dogs who "don't like being with other dogs", are often really just not used to it because they haven't had enough opportunity nor enough exposure to other dogs under watchful eyes. This can be especially true in the UAE where the social physical infrastructure just isn't set up to encourage dogs and their owners to get out there... together. We know that most dogs, from the smallest to the largest, ultimately want to socialize and, once past their initial problems with it (whatever those problems are), are very happy to and accordingly can often further develop beautifully as dogs in character, confidence and general behaviour because of it.

• With your permission, we only put dogs together who are of a similar size, strength and overall temperament. If they are not similar, then before socializing we must know from you that they already know each other well (from the same family or even friends of family, for example) and that you have asked us to put them together.

• Our most experienced Animal Handlers make all decisions about which dogs can socialize together, and there is always monitoring and control when this happens.

• We always pay attention to the needs and character of the dog. If they're gung ho and ready-to-go, great. If your dog is quieter, shyer and more tentative, then we go slow, at their pace, or not at all if that's ultimately how they are happiest.

• We have a lot of handling staff, with a very high staff-to-animal ratio (this is a key statistic in determining some aspects of the quality of care your pet will get in an animal care and daycare facility). This means that the attention needed to socialize your dog in a safe and happy way is available at the very least because of sheer numbers.

We do urge you to let us let your dog play, have fun and socialize with other dogs as much as possible, for their sake and yours. (Take a look at our Kennels Pictures and the DKC Video Tour to get an idea of how good it can be.)

Seriously, didn't you know that runnin' crazy for 10 minutes and then stoppin' to sniff butt is simply the most fun you can have in the world!?

Some dog owners (and indeed kennels operators) feel that when their dog stays in a kennels, they should be completely separated from other dogs when in their enclosures ~ not only physically but also visually and, to whatever extent possible in some cases, aurally too. They feel that this helps to keep stress down and to keep dogs more calm and quiet. This view is also sometimes motivated by concerns on the part of kennel operators about zoning laws related to noise control (the idea being that if dogs can't see each other, they'll bark less) and, in the case of shelters, concerns about controlling and containing illness within a population of dogs and cats with a completely unknown vaccination history.

There are many kennelling facilities and shelters in the UAE and around the world which are designed with just these goals in mind, whereby the enclosures are solid walls of one construction material or another on three sides (and sometimes up to the roof), and the only open face of the enclosure is the front. The daily reality for dogs in this kind of environment is that most, if not all of the contact and interaction they get is only with the human beings taking care of them.

To be frank, we don't agree with this approach for a kennels which cares for family pets who have all been properly vaccinated and are well looked after. We're not being very diplomatic, it's true, but we think it has to be said. And we hope you will consider it.

Our kennels do, of course, have distinct, separate and safe enclosures. Of course. However, they are also very open. How? Take a look at our Kennels Pictures. What you can see is that our enclosures are indeed enclosed but they are also very open in the sense that all the dogs are able to see each other, bark with each other, interact and experience the place together, whether or not our Handlers are engaging with them directly. As a result, your dogs are often very active and stimulated through much of each day, and they are interested in and enlivened by the environment in a way that is, actually, difficult if not impossible to reproduce back at home and elsewhere.

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Imagine you're a dog.

Now imagine that you're in a place where you can smell and hear the other dogs and people around you but you can't see them. Can't interact with them.

We know from experience that most dogs feel safer and happier when they can see what's going on around them and can actually engage with it all, openly and excitedly, while at the same time having some limits on their choices because they are indeed in an enclosure.

Imagine you're a dog and that you're generally having a good ol' social time... along with the romps in the yard with other dogs or on your own or with our Handlers, AND while in your enclosure you can still... how shall we put it... uh... party!

That's not stress, in our view, it's community. It's what dogs naturally enjoy and want. It's barking at each other and with each other in chorus, and jumpin' about. All that exercise and activity and stimulation, even when inside your enclosure. It's socializing, safely, even when they're being quiet or sleeping.

And yes, of course it's true that not all dogs want that strong community... a few don't... but we pay attention to that too. We have enclosures that are a little more away from the centre of activity, and if we really see that your dog wants even more quiet and calm, we often bring them into our offices to spend time with our staff as they work... sitting or lying at their feet or by their desks or, on the not-so-odd-occasion, in their laps.

Do come to our place to experience this for yourself; the general level of comfort, the excitement and simple contentedness of the community, all of which we feel every day and hope you will too. Stay as long as you like and feel how our kennels really is a dog's place.

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• Boarding & Daycare
• Collection & Delivery
• Livin' the UAE Life

1. Will you board my bird • rabbit • ferret • guinea pig • hamster • mouse • lizard • snake... any animal at all?

You bet! Just about any animal at all.

And we have quite a lot of knowledge about these animals too, so it's not just a matter of sticking them somewhere in our facility and hoping for the best. We've spent a lot of time and energy over the years making sure that we have handlers who have real knowledge and experience in dealing with all manner of domestic pet and exotics, including and especially appropriate feeding and enclosures/spaces for them. And if there's anything we don't know, we have excellent contacts in the realm of wildlife husbandry and care who we can talk to.

Take a look here: Other Creatures Too

2. Boarding Reservations ~ How far in advance do I have to book?

Now that's an important question!

During more than half the year, you can book anytime, even last minute, and we'll be able to take your pet in. No problem.

During about 5 months of the year, things are a bit more complicated than that. Take a look at Gotta Book Early!

3. What's your daycare service like?

Dogs in daycare with us basically follow the same routine throughout the day that all our boarders do, including playtime in our large yards, mixing with other dogs (if you let us), food (of course!) and generally lots and lots of excitement while in their enclosures because of all the other dogs around and the many many many staff we have constantly checking in and constantly around and about. Why don't you come and see for yourself?

Our Two-Legged Timings are 9am-4pm, Sun-Thur, which of course is not perfect for most people. So we even work out a schedule for those of you who need to drop off and pick up outside these hours.

4. What are your enclosures like? What size are they?

The very best way to answer that question is for you to come meet us and take a look for yourself. In fact, that's what we always really strongly recommend.

But that's not always easy to schedule, is it. We know. So you should definitely look at the images here and elsewhere around our site because there are lots of pictures for you see, and this should help a great deal in understanding what you're pet will experience.

In short, though, our enclosures are like this:

• All our dog enclosures have an indoor and an outdoor run, and almost all our cat enclosures do too, and your pet decides where he or she wants to be. Those few cat enclosures which don't have an outdoor run, we try to reserve for cats which need or like to be inside most of the time anyway.
• All indoor runs are air-conditioned.
• Cat enclosures are multi-storied, with shelves and trapdoors and bedding and toys and all.
• All dog enclosures have raised Kuranda beds and snug-rugs.
• Cat enclosures range in size. The smallest space we have is an indoor portion of a run which is L:0.8m x W:0.8m x H:1m. The largest space we have is an outdoor portion of a run which is L:4.2m x W:1.1m x H:2.2m.
• Dog enclosures also range in size. Our smallest enclosures are 1.5m x 1.5m both indoor and outdoor. Our largest are 2.2m x 1.8m indoor and 3m x 2.5m outdoor. And there are a couple of sizes in between.

5. Can my dog mix/socialize with others?

Definitely yes.

We love giving every possible opportunity we can to our dogs to mix and socialize with others, so when you arrive just let us know if this is something you and your dog would like ~ we'll make it happen. Safely of course, with lots of monitoring and control, but as much as possible. We're always evaluating all the dogs in our care to see which are good candidates for sharing playtime (and even enclosures) with others, and then putting the right dogs together. If you want us to do this with your dog, then great. If not, that's just fine too.

Take a look here for more info on this: Love... but other stuff too/Socializing

6. Will my cat stay with other cats?

Well, yes and no.

Your cat will stay in a separate and secure enclosure, so there won't be any other cats in there with him or her. But because it's a cattery, we obviously have a lot of cats staying in a lot of enclosures, all of which are next to each other. So, although your cat will be in her/his own enclosure, there will indeed still be lots of other cats around.

This said, if you have more than one cat and want them to be in the same enclosure together, then perfect! (Did you know that there's a 20% discount for enclosure-sharing?)

7. My dog and cat LOVE each other! Can they stay in the same enclosure?

Yes they can!!... maybe.

We have a small number of enclosures which are part of the catteries but not too far from the kennels and which, most importantly, are the right size and configuration for a small dog. Each year we have quite a few customers indeed who ask for this and in most cases it works very very nicely.

Take a look at The Kennels, The Catteries & The Kennatteries.

8. Can my unneutered male cat board with you?

You're probably not going to like this much, but no, sorry.

The reason is that these cats can be very territorial and as a result tend to mark their territory rather aggressively which, as you can imagine, isn't something that works too well in a community of cats (even though all the cats are of course in their own enclosures). And whooohooo!, the smell!

If you're really in need of boarding for your unneutered cat, you might consider neutering before you leave. If you're in a rush with a sudden unexpected trip, we can manage the neutering and post-operative care for you.

9. How often will my dog exercise each day and for how long?

From about end of September to April, all your dogs get into our exercise yards 2-3 times a day for a good 15 minutes or so each time, and if we have your permission they'll be playing with other dogs too. For those dogs with especially high energy levels or any good need for more of this time, or if you ask us to, because the weather is nice we just let 'em stay in the yards for much of the day.

During the hotter summer months, just as when your dog is home with you, we need to be careful about being outside in the heat for too long. So they all still get out 2-3 times a day but the runs in the yard are for shorter periods of time, as we are very watchful to make sure the heat is not having an impact. And of course we don't leave the dogs out in the yards all day at this time of year for the very same reason.

This all said, all our enclosures are indoor/outdoor with a/c, and designed so that all the dogs can see each other and feel part of the community. So even when they're in their enclosures, they're still very active and generally having a very social time. Read more about this: Love... but other stuff too ~ take a look at the section called Socializing and Socializing ~ Part 2.

10. Do you have a swimming pool for dogs?

You just had to ask that question, didn't you!?

Sorry, no we don't. We'd love to, but we don't. Can we offer you a glass of water instead? 

11. Will you clip my pet's nails if needed?

Yes we will. Our staff are well trained for this and we always check for such things with all dogs, cats and birds... and anyone else that might need it. (Yes, yes, of course we'll clip yours too... but only if ask you real nice.) We won't do this without your permission, however, so just ask us to and/or we'll let you know if we think it's needed.

AND... no charge!

12. Do I have to provide my own pet food? What type of food do you provide?

No you don't. We provide everything.

We rely primarily on dry Eukanuba, Iams, Royal Canin and Hill's, and also Pedigree and Whiskas wet... and also chicken, tuna and rice when needed or specifically wanted.

Of course, if you have a special diet (your own concoction or a veterinary prescription) we can do that too... although for these there might be additional charges.

To learn more, take a look here: Love... but other stuff too/Special Diets.

13. Do I get a discount if I bring my own food?

Sorry about this, but no. Food for your pets is, of course, a cost for us but another very significant cost factor is the actual time, effort and resource to do the feeding itself. With all the pets we have in our care, special feeding, even if it's your own food, requires that much more involvement.

We hope you understand.

14. Do you have discounts for long-term boarding or enclosure-sharing?

Yes we do. Take a look at our price list.

15. Should I be worried if my dog or cat has lost or gained weight during their boarding stay?

No and yes, depending.

A little bit of weight gain or loss is very common. It doesn't happen to all pets during every stay in a boarding facility, but it does happen. Pet owners, understandably, often immediately feel that this must mean their pet has not been taken care of properly, but in fact it is more important to look at the entire context and the extent of the loss or gain.

Commonly, pets staying in a boarding facility are not eating exactly as they do at home. They may or may not be eating exactly the same food (depending on the arrangements you've made with the kennel or cattery), and even if they are, they may not be eating exactly the same amounts because, despite every effort to get it just right, human beings differ and the precise amounts they provide may be a little different than you do when your pet is at home. So, all this small change can lead to weight gain or loss, in and of itself.

More important and relevant than this, however, is that pets are generally much more active in a boarding facility than they are at home. Now wait! We're not saying that you aren't taking good care of your pet by not giving him or her lots of activity. No, not at all. It's just that in a boarding facility, especially one that has a good number of staff and lots of other animals around, the whole environment is very stimulating and there is a lot of exercise for dogs and lots of other general interest for both dogs and cats. And this keeps them more active and generally more stimulated, even if they're in their enclosures. And this, in turn, often leads to a bit of weight loss.

And one more thing: In many cases, a little bit of weight loss for dogs and cats is a good thing and although we have many customers who do worry about this, we also have a great many who are pleased to see that their pet has lost a little weght in our care because, in fact, they came in to us a little overweight.

But of course, everyone has a different perception of this, and if the weight of your pet is not medically bad, one way or the other, then we do try to maintain the weight your pet comes in with.

This all said, too much weight gain or loss IS a problem and if you feel there has been too much either way, we truly hope you'll talk to us about this. We monitor this aspect of your pet's health very closely, with a weight check when they first arrive for boarding and then regular checking every two weeks, or more often if we perceive a potential problem. And if there is a problem, we always let you know about it while you're away and take action when required by adjusting feeding or even consulting your vet.

16. Is someone looking after my pet during weekends, holidays and at night?

Simply, yes. Even when we are closed to our two-legged customers, we have staff on-site every single day of the year. Full stop.

Furthermore, because we have staff living on-site, there are always people around, even at night. And because of our relocations work, which takes place mostly at night and just about every night, we have at least a couple of hours spread throughout the night when things are going on at DKC. Now, in fairness, we're not actually working with all the animals during this night as we do during the day, but after all folks, your pets need to sleep too!

17. Do you have a vet on-site?

No, we don't have a vet on-site.

However, that really should not worry you. We have extremely good relationships with all the vets in town and, more importantly perhaps, we have emergency, 24-hour services from our preferred vet every single day of the year, so if anything is ever wrong we have the resources that you and your pet need, including phone and email communications, and a less-than-15-minute-drive to their clinic.

Furthermore, in almost all cases when a pet is needing veterinary attention, it is not an emergency situation, so we will be able to book appointments with your preferred vet if you wish, and we will also of course always let you know in advance that we are doing that unless for some reason you are unreachable and it cannot wait.

Finally, because of the way we work on a daily basis, we almost always discover very early if there are any developing problems, which also does a lot to keep your pet well and, most importantly, to avoid emergency situations almost all the time.

18. Can I have pictures of my pet while I'm away? Do you have a webcam?

Pictures? Yesssssiiiiirrreeee! We like to call it Pics & Videos of the DKC Litter. Take a look!

Webcam? No, sorry about that.

19. My dog stayed in your kennels and now he has a hangover!

No, we do not serve alcohol at Dubai Kennels & Cattery! 

"Kennel hangover" is a rather common thing... and a good one, if we do say so ourselves! You see, there is so much activity and general stimulation in a good kennels, that when your dog gets home it is very common for him or her to be a little tired for a couple of days ~ all that running around, socializing and barking their heads off with all their kennel neighbours (watch for that hoarsey-throat!), and no sitting around vegging in front of the TV!

So don't worry but do keep an eye. In almost all cases, this is just a happy, if a little tired, dog. If he or she continues being a little down or lethargic for more than a day or so, please do let us and your vet know. 

1. What's DKC's Collection & Delivery schedule?

We're on the road from approximately 10am to mid-afternoon, Sunday-Thursday. We don't offer this service on Friday or Saturday. (See our Two-Legged Timings.)

We have a lot of customers asking for very specific appointments but this is often not possible, although we do try if we can, because each day presents its own unpredictable schedules, number of home-visits, number of pets and... traffic!

However, we always call approximately 30 minutes before we get to you while we're doin' the rounds, so do feel free to go about your day as you need to and then, when you hear from us, you can return to your home to meet us.

2. What are your vehicles like? How will my pet travel?

We use converted passenger vans (such as the Toyota Hiace) which have been heavily modified for our pet collection and delivery service. Take a look at Collection & Delivery.

Now, as we've said, these are people-passenger vans, not cargo vans; this is an important distinction because passenger vans have windows all round the vehicle so that plenty of light gets in, and also high-quality air-conditioning throughout. Furthermore, we've added fans to create even better air circulation.

All the seats were removed, of course, and replaced by metal flooring with embedded hooks, so when we put your pet and her/his travel box into the van, we can use strong ties to secure the boxes in-place.

And finally, there's no partition between our handlers who are driving the vans and your pets in the back, which means we always know what's going on and your pets aren't isolated at all during the trip.

And just so you know, we transport any animal in these vehicles, not just your dogs and cats.

Oh, and one more thing: We do not have "drivers". The same Animal Handlers who take care of your pets when in our care are the ones who will come to your home for Collection & Delivery.

3. Do you collect/deliver outside Dubai?

Yep. Outside Dubai... and outside the UAE if need be. Contact us for pricing.

1. Is it safe to bring my pet into the heat of the UAE?

Yes it is safe. In fact, thousands of pets are imported into the UAE each year; the vast majority do perfectly well here, regardless of the breed.

What about those which don't do well? Fundamentally, when things go wrong (such as dehydration and/or heat stroke), it is about how these pets are managed rather than their innate inability to cope with the heat or the fact of the heat being prohibitive. Yes, the UAE is VERY hot for at least 4 or 5 months of the year, and yes you must be careful about this during these times, but isn't it extremely cold in January in Canada? Or hot in Texas in July? Aren't there any number of locations around the world with extreme temperatures at certain times of the year? And aren't there pets in these places too? Of course there are.

You should be aware of the dangers of the heat here, but if you're thoughtful about this, you should not be worried or overly concerned. Do some research on the internet and talk to your UAE-based vet for guidance about things to watch out for, and at the most basic level be aware of such things as not leaving your dog or cat outside during the hottest times of the year for too long, and always make sure there is plenty of water readily available, even if you're going for a walk.

There is more to learn about this and plenty of information available from any number of sources. But yes, it is safe to bring your pet.

2. Are there good pet care providers, vets, pet supplies, groomers, etc. in the UAE?

Definitely yes.

The UAE has everything here you could wish for by way of quality pet care services. As with any industry, not every one of them is the best, but if you look around and look into it all, we know you'll find what you need.

3. Can I take my dog to public places? Are there dog parks? What about beaches? What about pet-friendly places to live?

The UAE is not yet the perfect place on Earth in this way. But don't be put off!

Here's the bad news:

• There are no public dog parks.
• Dogs are not allowed in the public parks that do exist (and there are not too many of these anyway).
• Dogs are not allowed on the beaches.
• Dogs must be on a lead and under control when on streets with you (but this probably goes without saying).
• Certain breeds are required by the local municipalities to be muzzled.
• There are pet-friendly residences (apartments and villas) but they are not always easy to find.

Here's the good news:

• You can certainly walk your dog just about anywhere if on a lead and under control (but clean up after yourself!).
• Outside city centres, there are plenty of open desert spaces for your dog to run around in.
• Once you've been here for a time, you'll get to know from the existing dog-owning community more about where and how you can take your dog out for the pleasure of the outdoors and exercise.
• There are a large number of kennels operators which is one way for you to socialise your dog.
• There are dog training groups by many dog trainers in the country.
• You can find pet-friendly places to live and once there, things are pretty comfortable. Especially if you happen to live in a villa with some land around it.

Generally, it's true that the UAE is not as supportive to dog owners as many other places in the world, but there are plenty of pets and pet-owners here, and with some acceptance of compromise, things are fine.

4. Is it important to register my pet with the Municipality?

Yes and no.

It is actually a legal requirement that all dogs and cats are registered. However, this is not really enforced in any meaningful way. So ultimately it is up to you.

This said, we strongly recommend it. It is not expensive and we know of many cases of lost pets being found because of it.