The 5 Best Animal Shelters in Dubai
Looking to welcome a furry friend in the family and are looking to adopt? You can start by looking at the different animal shelters in Dubai.
Whether you’re looking to take care of a good dog or provide a loving home for a feline in need, here are some of the recommended animal shelters to start looking.
How Much Does it Cost to Adopt a Pet in Dubai
The cost of adopting an animal in Dubai will vary based on the breed or even the age of the animal you’re adopting, with younger animals generally costing more.
For instance, here are the differences between different dog adoption fees in Dubai:
Choosing the Best Animal Shelters in Dubai
Apart from looking at the animal we want, we’ve taken a look at the following factors when it comes to animal shelters in Dubai.
1. Pet Avenue
| RATING | |
| CARE SERVICE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| FACILITIES | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| ⮕ACTIVITIES | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| ⮕ROAMING SPACE | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ⮕PROFESSIONALISM | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ⮕COMMUNICATION | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ACCESSIBILITY | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Pet Avenue is an accomplished retailer of pet goods and accessories in JVC. They are run by active animal rescuers who know how to care for the animals with them.
In addition to their pet grooming, retail, and products, they also have a number of rescues that you can adopt. A lot of these tend to be cats of varying ages, ranging from kittens to those with special needs.
While they do rescue animals, they don’t accept just leaving a stray in their care. However, they will get you in touch with an organisation that can take them in, which is a good compromise in our opinion.
The staff are very good at handling the cats in their care. Customers have reported that their staff was very knowledgeable about the cats’ different personalities and were quite helpful in getting them acquainted with interested families.
Considering the number of cats they take care of on a daily basis, we think this is quite an impressive feat in our opinion.
A few things to note though, is that during our look, we were informed that they only had cats for adoption. However, some customers have reported being able to adopt dogs nonetheless.
We think it’s just better to visit or call beforehand.
Thanks to their smooth service as well as additional services and products, Pet Avenue is not only a good place to adopt your new family member, it’s also a good place to get all the things they need.
We highly recommend giving them a try.
Pros
- Good process for cat adoption
- One-stop shop for pet needs
Cons
- Grooming service is a bit expensive
- They don’t take in strays
Customer Reviews
“We adopted our beautiful cat from Pet Avenue and we could not be any happier”
“We adopted our beautiful cat from Pet Avenue and we could not be any happier. Alexia was very informative and accurate about the personalities of each cat in her care. The adoption fee included all the vaccinations, neutering, passport, and grooming. This is day 2 and we can confidently say that Lily is absolutely perfect for our family. Thank you once again Pet Avenue!” – A Ayonrinde
“They did magic without removing a single hair! Thank you!”
“I not only adopted my baby cat at Pet Avenue but also resort all his needs in there. Today a excellent grooming service post a wax accident! They did magic without removing a single hair! Thank you!” – Maria Ilka Padilla
2. The Bin Kitty Collective
| RATING | |
| CARE SERVICE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| FACILITIES | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ⮕ACTIVITIES | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ⮕ROAMING SPACE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ⮕PROFESSIONALISM | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ⮕COMMUNICATION | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ACCESSIBILITY | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
The Bin Kitty Collective is an interesting case. They primarily help spread awareness regarding the welfare of stray cats and animals in Dubai.
While they don’t have an actual physical location you can visit, they frequently hold adoption drives where they bring in the animals they’ve rescued in order to help them find their forever homes.
We think their proactive approach to animal rescue is quite commendable, even with their limited resources. Nonetheless, this does mean that interested parties will have to wait for the next drive if they want to adopt a pet in a convenient manner.
Do note that they still allow adoptions any time but you’ll have to coordinate and track them down via their social media hashtags and facebook pages.
Aside from that, they also have partnered with some pet clinics in order to provide discounts on certain products and services. They only have a handful right now but we think it’s still good to keep in mind just in case.
These will be essential if you want to foster a pet as you’ll be able to access discounted veterinary services, rehoming advice, and even access to their adoption days.
We think their support for pet fosters are quite good actually and if you’re interested, you might want to look at working with them.
Pros
- Partners with veterinary clinics for discounts
- Provided animals with decent care
Cons
- No physical location
- Adoptions depend on the schedule of their drives
Customer Reviews
“Once they get treated & vaccinated they’ll be ready for adoption”
“RESCUE OF THE DAY three Persian kittens 55 days old only dumped by a breeder cause have ring worms. The heartless person separated them from their mama & the poor babies are scared & cuddling together inside the rubbish bin he couldn’t sell them cz he doesn’t want to pay or bother to treat them. Once they get treated & vaccinated they’ll be ready for adoption. Watch out for those adorable babies” – Areej Al Daghistani
“Vaccinated, neutered & microchipped”
A rare maincoon boy Mufasa 1.5 yrs old is looking for a home he’s vaccinated, neutered & microchipped. No idea why owners don’t want him anymore. He’s a beautiful big boy – Areej Al Daghistani
3. Cat Cafe Dubai
| RATING | |
| CARE SERVICE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| FACILITIES | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ⮕ACTIVITIES | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ⮕ROAMING SPACE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| ⮕PROFESSIONALISM | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ⮕COMMUNICATION | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| ACCESSIBILITY | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
As per its name, the Cat Cafe is a coffee shop where guests can come in, relax with a good cappuccino and snack while also interacting with a bunch of cute cats roaming about the place.
The cats they have are primarily rescues from owners who aren’t capable of taking care of them anymore so they also offer an adoption service for people willing to give these felines their forever homes.
We think their facilities are pretty good, given that the business allows the cats to roam around. They have a lot of hiding places and toys to keep themselves entertained around the customers.
Nonetheless, we like that they are able to set necessary boundaries. For the cats, they don’t allow them to come to the food preparation areas and are restricted to their dedicated lounge.
They also ask guests not to be too noisy and rowdy and not to disturb the sleeping cats. They also don’t allow guests to just pick up the cats and encourage them to wait for the cat to approach instead.
Their adoption process is two-stage, which we think helps find owners who are committed. It starts with a simple application followed by an appointment where the family now gets to know the cat.
Upon adopting, they also receive the cat’s vaccination book as well as some of their food. We particularly like how the cafe is able to provide adequate support during the adoption process thanks to this.
We think the adoption is quite thorough and the environment is just right for the cats. We definitely recommend giving the Cat Cafe a try.
Pros
- Good, vibrant cafe
- Smooth adoption process
Cons
- Needs reservation on weekends
- Some snacks are a bit expensive
Customer Reviews
“Most cleanest cat cafe and friendly staff who are so attentive”
“Such a relaxing place to have a drink, listen to the peaceful music and play with the cutest kitties! I especially like the Orea Milkshakes, and drinks comes with muffins. Most cleanest cat cafe and friendly staff who are so attentive. The skylight is beautiful, really sets a nice atmosphere. Cats look happy and healthy. I love this place, the cats really melt my heart!” – Kayla
“The cats are super friendly and we’re great with my kids, staff were friendly and helpful”
“Had a great time at this cafe. The cats are super friendly and we’re great with my kids, staff were friendly and helpful. Would recommend for all the cat lovers out there.” – Yasmeen Abou El Seoud
4. K9 Friends
| RATING | |
| CARE SERVICE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| FACILITIES | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ⮕ACTIVITIES | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ⮕ROAMING SPACE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| ⮕PROFESSIONALISM | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| ⮕COMMUNICATION | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
| ACCESSIBILITY | ★★★☆☆ (3.5/5) |
K9 Friends is considered one of the oldest dog shelters in Dubai. They’ve been in operation since 1989, and are typically run by volunteers looking to help the animals.
They are a non-profit organisation run through the Government’s Community Development Authority (CDA). As a result, they promise that all of the money they receive goes into the running of the shelter and the care of the dogs.
Interested families can adopt from around 120 dogs of all age ranges, colours, shapes, and temperaments in their purpose-built shelter.
Their professional staff are quite helpful in letting owners meet a range of different dogs in order to help find one that will resonate with them and match their current lifestyle.
Depending on the details though, they will need a letter of permission from the landlord if your family is staying at an apartment. They will also not house very young puppies in an apartment due to difficulties training them for home life in such a small space.
The adoption fees cover the dog’s microchips, initial vaccinations, fleas and worm treatments, and even neutering, which we think are helpful to first time pet adopters.
While they are open for adoption for most days, the adoption itself is by appointment only. It gives the shelter time to prepare and it discourages random visits.
It’s easy to see how K9 Friends is able to grow its reputation as a dog shelter. If it’s a dog you’re after, we recommend giving them a visit.
Pros
- Proactive when it comes to helping animals
- Government-given facility is quite good
Cons
- Scheduling is a bit difficult
- Dogs only
Customer Reviews
While there are no public reviews, you can browse an album of the pets they’ve successfully rehomed here.
5. Nine Lives AE
| RATING | |
| CARE SERVICE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| FACILITIES | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ⮕ACTIVITIES | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ⮕ROAMING SPACE | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| CUSTOMER SERVICE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ⮕PROFESSIONALISM | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ⮕COMMUNICATION | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ACCESSIBILITY | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Nine Lives Dubai is considered the UAE’s largest cat adoption organisation. They are a group of volunteers that primarily rehomes abandoned cats and kittens to their forever homes throughout the region.
The organisation primarily runs on volunteers and as such, do not have an actual physical space or employees. Instead, the animals are cared for by kind individuals who also share their space for the animals.
As such, we believe the physical space the animals inhabit do vary but, given the cats’ calm temperaments, volunteers seem to have the adequate space and equipment.
We heard that volunteers work with each other to procure supplies and cover veterinary costs for their animals before they find their forever homes.
They initially had adoption drives and events but have since moved to online appointments, making it a lot more convenient for the cats in their care.
The animals you can adopt all go through an intensive health protocol including checkups and tests, spaying or neutering, vaccinations, microchips and registrations, and treatment of their illnesses.
We think these processes certainly make it convenient for people looking to adopt a feline, and a good use of their fees.
So if you wish to adopt an animal from an organisation with a proven track record and experience in caring for them, we definitely recommend giving Nine Lives AE a call.
Who knows? They might just have the newest member of your family waiting.
Pros
- Thorough adoption process
- Good range of cats to adopt
Cons
- Adoption is online only
- Cats only
Customer Reviews
“Their in depth questionnaire helps them recommend the perfect companion”
“As someone adopting a pet for the first time I was a bit nervous, and honestly has a lot of questions. The process with Forever Pets could not have been simpler. Their in depth questionnaire helps them recommend the perfect companion.
The adoption was straightforward and simple, and they are great about supporting you or answering your questions after the adoption is complete too!” – Tarish Tolani
“Our adopted cat has become a very valuable member of our family”
“Amazing and very reliable people are working with Forever Pets!! We adopted our cat with their help last year. We felt a lot of support and understanding. Our adopted cat has become a very valuable member of our family. Now we cannot even imagine our life without her. Thank you Forever Pets staff for spreading more kindness into this world!” – Ekaterina Alibekova
FAQs about Adoption and Animal Shelters in Dubai
We hope your new furry companion is able to bring you joy and love. And in case you wish to insure your new companion, we’ve also made a list of the best pet insurance providers in Dubai here.