Dubai Dog Names

Growing up in Bur Dubai, Richard Wilson and his family were one of just two families in their building with a dog. Wilson and his family got their dog, Scottie, who was a Cocker Spaniel, in 1996. According to Wilson, during Scottie’s life, the area where his family lived was less developed and there were a lot of empty spaces where Scottie could run and play. Over the years, Wilson noted that more dogs arrived; by the time he moved out in 2010, the complex where he lived had at least 12 dogs. Years later, Wilson now has Courage, a chocolate Labrador that he adopted in 2015. Courage, a three-year-old pup, used to be called Brownie and was a part of a Pakistani family in Ajman who had to give him up when they left the country.  Courage enjoys long walks and is named after the 90’s cartoon dog, Courage the Cowardly Dog. According to Richard, “Courage looks like a big bear to some, but he scares himself easily with silly things”. According to Richard, “at his core he is a big, goofy, silly boy.”

While the number of dog lovers is high, there are fewer dogs running around these days as a result of a law passed at the end of 2016 that requires owners to keep their dogs on a leash at all times. Fortunately, there does seem to be an increase in understanding of canines and their needs, including from those in the government. In fact, in 2017, Dubai Municipality participated in the first Walk for Animals at Zabeel Park, in an effort to raise awareness of animal rights and stop abuse, as well as to share information about pet ownership and adoption. Mahin Bahrami, an animal activist and co-founder of Middle East Animal Foundation (MEAF), which was the first formally registered animal welfare organization in Dubai, organized the event. Mahin explains, “We’re trying to bridge the communication gap and liaise between government authorities, developers and animal lovers”.

Currently, parks, beaches, boulevards and open public spaces are not accessible to dogs and dog owners for daily walks. Dogs are also not allowed on public transport, taxis, buses or the Metro or in malls or shopping centers. Dogs must be licensed, vaccinated and kept on a leash at all times; owners who don’t comply will receive a fine of up to Dh100,000.

Rashi Matthews is a 19-year-old student at Heriot Watt University and resides in Dubai’s Maknkhool neighborhood with her family and her Golden Retriever named Oscar. Matthews explains that she and her pup live in a duplex apartment and that her building is one of the few in the Bur Dubai area that is dog-friendly. The family waited for two months for the pup to arrive from Slovakia at three months of age. Initially named Cookie, the canine’s name was changed to better fit his personality.

Over the last ten plus years, the government has made pets more welcome and protected members of society; the requirement that all pets be registered makes sure that they are safe and that they are microchipped and vaccinated. The Dubai Municipality has launched Aleef, which is an app for pet owners.