Dog owners are being urged to be aware of the dangers their pets can pose to the public, as one health provider reported treating dozens of injuries caused by attacks each month.
Experts and doctors have highlighted the need for animal lovers to have a duty of care for others and ensure dogs are kept under control and supervised at all times.
A recent court case in Dubai involving a 50-year-old Chinese businessman, who faced deportation after his dog attacked a 12-year-old Emirati boy, underlined why owners should exercise caution.
The Dubai Court of Misdemeanours heard the dog was left unattended and unleashed, leading to the incident on December 5 last year.
The child, who was playing outside, was bitten on the right leg. He needed hospital treatment from minor injuries.
The court initially handed down a one-month prison sentence followed by deportation, which was reduced on appeal to a Dh10,000 fine after the man's lawyer called for leniency based on the impact of the ruling on his family and employees.
Up to 70 dog bites a month
Recent figures from Emirates Health Services, a major healthcare provider, showed its 17 hospitals across the country typically deal with between 50 to 70 cases of dog bites every month.
Dr Abdul Rahman Al Qudra, an emergency department physician at Fujairah Hospital, said immediate medical assessment for bites is essential.
"If the wound is in the neck, head, face, or extremities like hands, fingers, or feet, it's crucial to have it examined by a doctor without delay," he said.
He stressed the importance of initial response.
"The individual should be calmed and reassured by the physician before addressing his wound."
He said its important to follow prescribed protocols in relation to vaccinations.
"Tetanus injections should be administered as per the recommended regulations, depending on the case," he said.
He urged taking the canine rabies vaccine injection according to the World Health Organisation's schedule.
"It's important to remember that vaccination isn't just for dog bites but also applicable to bites from various other rabid animals suspected of tetanus infection."
Dr Manoj Sharma, a general practitioner at Aster Hospital in Al Qusais, said dog bites injuries can range from minor cuts and scratches to severe tissue damage and infections.
“Even if the bite seems minor, it's essential to seek medical help to assess the wound.”
Owners face legal consequences
The recently concluded Dubai court case echoes previous incidents, one of which involved a girl who was attacked by a negligently supervised dog, leading to a civil lawsuit and compensation.
Another involved an unlicensed dog attacking a family on a Fujairah beach, resulting in fines for the dog's owners.
Pauline Van Lersel, a dog trainer from Dubai-based Paw Pals, said such occurrences could be prevented.
"It’s the dog owner’s duty to keep the dog and those around it safe. Understanding a dog's language is crucial," she said.
Dogs must be removed from stressful situations, kept under observation, engaged in comprehensive socialisation and tailored training and have their environment at home secured to prevent escapes, she said.
“Proper socialisation involves gradual, positive exposure to different environments and experiences," said Ms Van Lersel.
She said owners often miss or misinterpret signals of discomfort or stress in their dogs.
Early warning signs of aggression or stress include nose or lip licking, raised paw, yawning, head turning, walking in a curve, and wagging the tail in a low position, among others.
Regarding legal responsibilities, she emphasised the importance of using leads and in some cases muzzles for certain breeds.
"In Dubai, adhering to legal requirements for dog ownership isn't just about compliance, it's a critical aspect of community safety," she said.
"Using leads and muzzles when necessary can prevent many unfortunate incidents and ensure both the dog's and the public's well-being."
“Every breed has its own needs," she said, "and fulfilling these is key to ensuring their well-being and safety around people.”
She said new dog owners should consider professional training, even if only for a few initial sessions.
Successful training involves the owner learning to manage and understand their dog, as the effectiveness of the training largely depends on the owner's involvement and consistency.
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Belong%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Michael%20Askew%20and%20Matthew%20Gaziano%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Technology%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%243.5%20million%20from%20crowd%20funding%20and%20angel%20investors%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2012%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Bio
Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”
Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”
Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”
Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”
LIST OF INVITEES
Shergo Kurdi (am)
Rayhan Thomas
Saud Al Sharee (am)
Min Woo Lee
Todd Clements
Matthew Jordan
AbdulRahman Al Mansour (am)
Matteo Manassero
Alfie Plant
Othman Al Mulla
Shaun Norris
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
MATCH INFO
UAE Division 1
Abu Dhabi Harlequins 12-24 Abu Dhabi Saracens
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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On racial profiling at airports
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Fitness problems in men's tennis
Andy Murray - hip
Novak Djokovic - elbow
Roger Federer - back
Stan Wawrinka - knee
Kei Nishikori - wrist
Marin Cilic - adductor
UK’s AI plan
- AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
- £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
- £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
- £250m to train new AI models
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
The%20trailblazers
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LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday Celta Vigo v Villarreal (midnight kick-off UAE)
Saturday Sevilla v Real Sociedad (4pm), Atletico Madrid v Athletic Bilbao (7.15pm), Granada v Barcelona (9.30pm), Osasuna v Real Madrid (midnight)
Sunday Levante v Eibar (4pm), Cadiz v Alaves (7.15pm), Elche v Getafe (9.30pm), Real Valladolid v Valencia (midnight)
Monday Huesca v Real Betis (midnight)
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
The view from The National
'Morbius'
Director: Daniel Espinosa
Stars: Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona
Rating: 2/5
'The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey'
Rating: 3/5
Directors: Ramin Bahrani, Debbie Allen, Hanelle Culpepper, Guillermo Navarro
Writers: Walter Mosley
Stars: Samuel L Jackson, Dominique Fishback, Walton Goggins
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
What is a calorie?
A food calorie, or kilocalorie, is a measure of nutritional energy generated from what is consumed.
One calorie, is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 1°C.
A kilocalorie represents a 1,000 true calories of energy.
Energy density figures are often quoted as calories per serving, with one gram of fat in food containing nine calories, and a gram of protein or carbohydrate providing about four.
Alcohol contains about seven calories a gram.
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%206.4-litre%20V8%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E8-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E470bhp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E637Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDh375%2C900%20(estimate)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
