Dubai Municipality has opened an integrated pet shelter at the Birds and Pets Market in Warsan, adding a dedicated facility for stray and companion animals to the emirate’s veterinary services network.
The shelter provides housing and care for stray and loose companion animals ahead of adoption, with animals assessed against international health and welfare standards before being matched with prospective owners.
Facilities on site include a Customer Happiness Centre, pre-adoption viewing areas, interactive adoption rooms, a fully equipped veterinary clinic, a surgical operating theatre, a grooming unit, and a reception and rehabilitation zone for incoming animals. The shelter also runs a lost-pet reunification service, where owners can reclaim animals following ownership verification.
Alongside the opening, Dubai Municipality launched a digital adoption platform allowing users to browse available animals, review health and behavioural profiles, and complete the adoption process online.
To support the shelter’s clinical operations, the Municipality signed memoranda of understanding with Vets Fur Pets Veterinary Clinic and Phoenix Veterinary Clinic.
The agreements cover treatment and rehabilitation of injured or ill strays, Trap-Neuter-Return programmes for stray cats, community education on responsible pet ownership, and knowledge-sharing with government bodies, academic institutions, and volunteer groups.
“The opening of the integrated pet shelter marks an important step in the continued development of Dubai Municipality’s public health and veterinary services. The facility enhances our ability to provide sustainable, efficient and proactive services that protect animal welfare and contribute to a higher quality of life across the emirate. The shelter supports the ‘One Health’ approach by recognising the close relationship between human, animal and environmental health. It also encourages responsible adoption and pet ownership while reinforcing the values of compassion, humanity and civic responsibility that support Dubai’s vision to become the world’s best city to live in,” Dr. Naseem Mohammed Rafei, Acting CEO of the Environment, Health and Safety Agency at Dubai Municipality said in a statement.
The shelter follows the Municipality’s rollout earlier this year of 12 AI-powered “Ihsan” smart feeding stations for stray animals across several Dubai locations.
