Good intentions not enough in cat welfare case

Readers discuss the woman who kept 150 cats. Other topics: Donald Trump, jet skiers and girls' education.

Readers discuss the best ways to deal with the surplus of unwanted pets Pawan Singh / The National

After reading your news article, 150 cats and nine dogs removed from Dubai villa (October 30), the sad part is that as much as the animal welfare cause needs public relations attention in the UAE, this article does the exact opposite.

Although it’s written with good intentions, I think it portrays animal hoarding as almost acceptable – and this in a country where far too many cats are put to sleep every week because they couldn’t be rehomed after being abandoned.

The true heroes of this story are not actually mentioned. The Bin Kitty Collective team spent a week trying to get this intervention organised through the right channels and raised over Dh20,000 in under four days.

The woman involved in this story should get appropriate help but should also be banned from ever owning an animal. More than 40 cats in this villa have been put to sleep because they were beyond recovery.

Irina Ionascu, Dubai

I hope at the very least that this will encourage people to think twice who they give animals to.

Anyone who finds a cat and is concerned for its health should take it to the vet – there are plenty. They should also learn about TNR (trap, neuter, release) and let the cat go outside again if it’s healthy and neutered.

There aren’t enough homes for them all and healthy cats can survive outside. If that wasn’t the case, there wouldn’t be so many of them. Yes, they are all cute and all want to be loved but the worst scenario is to give them to a person such as this, where the cat’s chances of survival are slimmer than on the street.

Sarina Koerth, Dubai

At least her intentions were good. Very, very few people will sacrifice all the money they earn to care for animals.

If these cats had been just dropped off at a vet, it is likely that most would not have been adopted and they would have been put down eventually. At least she tried her best to care for them.

Charlene Robinson, Dubai

In this woman’s case, she exposed healthy cats to FIV-positive cats, knowing there was a high risk of them being infected.

FIV-infected cats need to be isolated. If you cannot provide isolation it is not fair to your healthy cats to mix with them. She has caused further animals to now need to be put to sleep.

Dani Lapin, Dubai

Trump’s views misconstrued

Having read Khalaf Al Habtoor's opinion piece, America will be spoilt for choice when it goes to the polls in 2016 (October 30), I think it's sad how people believe the liberal headlines.

Mr Trump welcomes legal immigrants with open arms but has had enough of more than 10 million illegals flooding into the US and abusing precious resources.

Imagine if 10 million legal immigrants in the UAE were actually illegal and living off social welfare programmes. I’m guessing the UAE would be full of Trump supporters.

Rick Hood, Abu Dhabi

It says a lot if Mr Habtoor thinks Donald Trump should be president and especially if his rationale is because Mr Trump “goes with his gut”.

President George W Bush prided himself on the same thing and look where that got all of us. As an American, I’d like my presidents to be thoughtful and rational.

Marius Emilijus, Abu Dhabi

Being president of a world superpower does not involve any “go with your gut”.

Donna Lee-Elliott, Dubai

Jet skiers need to obey the law

After reading your article, Abu Dhabi jet skiers continue to harass residents on restricted waterways (October 31), I think these young jetskiers simply need to restrict themselves to the designated areas and show some respect to others and to the rules.

Thomas Minette, Dubai

The authorities should be more worried about these people when they are on the roads, where their speeding and general lack of respect will affect a lot more people than on a waterway.

Clint Mead, Abu Dhabi

Publish their photographs and names in the newspaper and I believe it will be problem solved.

Jani Majaniemi, Al Ain

Mindset change puts girls in class

With the numbers of girls being enrolled at schools growing (Why more and more girls are going to school in India, October 30), it tells us that the rigid mindset of viewing girls as a financial burden and getting them married early is changing. This is a major achievement.

Fatima Suhail, Sharjah