Rules for keeping animals in the UAE

Dh5,000 fine, safety concerns: Why pet owners shouldn’t walk dogs without a leash in public
In a perfect world, all people would be responsible for their children and pets at all times, but since it is not, I would hope articles like this, and perhaps awareness campaigns on such subjects affecting communities, could make a difference

Dubai Municipality Rules for Pets

Owning a pet in the UAE comes with a huge pile of formalities, rules, and regulations. If you think that it is a cakewalk, then you are wrong. Here are the Mandatory Pet Rules in the UAE That Every Pet Owner Should Know.

• Fines of up to 500,000 AED and jail sentences of up to six months will be commanded for owners who fail to control their dogs. Dogs should be appropriately kept when outside.
• The pets should be kept clean all the time.
• Fines ranging from 150-500 AED will be charged if you fail to vaccinate or register the pet.
• It is mandatory to ensure that the pets should be on a dog leash in Dubai at all times. It is illegal to take the rope when you go outside with pets for a walk.
• It is strictly prohibited to keep banned dog breeds in Dubai. The list of banned dog breeds in UAE was seven before and now it is twelve.
• Your dogs are not permitted in Marina Walk, along JBR, the Palm, or in Dubai Marina.
• The pets must be registered with the vet services section, Dubai Municipality (VSS/DM), vaccinated & microchipped by the VSS/DM or a licensed vet.
• Guinea pigs, hamsters, ferrets, bearded dragons, iguanas, parrots, and tortoises don’t require vaccination but should have an import permit to arrive in the country and must have their original health certificates. Try to get a CITES certificate for future traveling purposes.
• You should get a license to own pet dogs in UAE.
• There will be a fine for those owners who fail to have their dogs vaccinated against diseases.
• Some building restricts pets, so it is necessary to take permission from the property owners.
• It is strictly prohibited to keep exotic pets in the UAE. Only zoos, wildlife parks, circuses, breeding, and research centers are permitted to keep exotic animals.
• A fine of 10,000 AED and 500,000 AED will be charged if you take the exotic pets outside.
• A fine of 700,000 AED and/or jail time will be given to a person who uses these exotic pets to threaten people.
• The public is encouraged to report the wild animals kept as pets. If these pets kill a person, it would be considered a case of manslaughter, and the owner will face the charges.
• Anyone found liable for hurting or participating in the illegal act of hunting, buying, or selling animals faces a heavier fine of AED 200,000.
• A fine of AED 50,000 and up to AED 200,000 will be given to the people who use these animals for scientific experiments without an official license.
• A penalty of 2000 AED will be charged to the owners of domestic pets if the rules and regulations are not followed properly.