Dog rescue centre needs more help in its bigger new location



DUBAI // A dog rescue centre is appealing for more volunteers ahead of its move to a bigger location in November. Unless more volunteers stepped forward, K9 Friends would not be able to increase the number of abandoned pets it cared for when it moved to its new site, said Jackie Radcliffe, who works with the organisation. Ms Radcliffe said while the building was almost complete and the group was excited to be moving to a larger area, "we would like to up the scale [of pets cared for] but we can't do so with the same number of volunteers.

"We have more space, so at least the animals will only be two to a kennel rather than three as it is now, and we will have separate puppy and quarantine blocks, but what we really need now are more volunteers." The Dubai-based organisation, which was established in 1987, also has a wish list of items, including computers and desks, that it hopes will be donated by the public for use at the new location. K9 Friends was on the verge of being evicted from its home when the Dubai Government intervened, extending the organisation's lease for another year.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, the Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, donated the land for the new rescue centre. It will be three times the size of the current premises, which shelters about 90 dogs. K9 Friends is also preparing to launch a public awareness campaign aimed at encouraging dog owners to clean up after their pets when taking them out for walks. The move follows a decision by the Jumeirah Beach Residences (JBR) to evict all dogs from its premises.

Ms Radcliffe said: "We have spoken to JBR and the International Fund for Animal Welfare and the problem stemmed from the fact that owners were apparently not cleaning up after their pets. "We are hoping, following Ramadan, to launch a media campaign aimed at encouraging pet owners to take responsibility for their animals and protecting the health of the community." @Email:loatway@thenational.ae

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 
LIVING IN...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

The five types of long-term residential visas

Obed Suhail of ServiceMarket, an online home services marketplace, outlines the five types of long-term residential visas:

Investors:

A 10-year residency visa can be obtained by investors who invest Dh10 million, out of which 60 per cent should not be in real estate. It can be a public investment through a deposit or in a business. Those who invest Dh5 million or more in property are eligible for a five-year residency visa. The invested amount should be completely owned by the investors, not loaned, and retained for at least three years.

Entrepreneurs:

A five-year multiple entry visa is available to entrepreneurs with a previous project worth Dh0.5m or those with the approval of an accredited business incubator in the UAE.  

Specialists

Expats with specialised talents, including doctors, specialists, scientists, inventors, and creative individuals working in the field of culture and art are eligible for a 10-year visa, given that they have a valid employment contract in one of these fields in the country.

Outstanding students:

A five-year visa will be granted to outstanding students who have a grade of 95 per cent or higher in a secondary school, or those who graduate with a GPA of 3.75 from a university. 

Retirees:

Expats who are at least 55 years old can obtain a five-year retirement visa if they invest Dh2m in property, have savings of Dh1m or more, or have a monthly income of at least Dh20,000.

Price, base / as tested From Dh173,775 (base model)
Engine 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo, AWD
Power 249hp at 5,500rpm
Torque 365Nm at 1,300-4,500rpm
Gearbox Nine-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined 7.9L/100km

At a glance

Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.

 

Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year

 

Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month

 

Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30 

 

Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse

 

Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth

 

Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances

Five personal finance podcasts from The National

 

To help you get started, tune into these Pocketful of Dirham episodes 

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Balance is essential to happiness, health and wealth 

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Should you buy or rent a home in the UAE?  

UAE tour of the Netherlands

UAE squad: Rohan Mustafa (captain), Shaiman Anwar, Ghulam Shabber, Mohammed Qasim, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Chirag Suri, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Mohammed Naveed, Amjad Javed, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed

Fixtures: Monday, first 50-over match; Wednesday, second 50-over match; Thursday, third 50-over match

MATCH INFO

Barcelona 4 (Messi 23' pen, 45 1', 48', Busquets 85')

Celta Vigo 1 (Olaza 42')