Abu Dhabi: Animal activists in Abu Dhabi have rescued a cat that was dumped after its vocal cords had been cut and claws removed.
The barely one-year-old pet was found abandoned near the Mina Animal Market by volunteers of Strays Abu Dhabi recently and is since being looked after by them.
“Dumping an animal after declawing and devocalising it is the worst thing you can do to a pet. It cannot fend for itself without claws. The poor thing cannot even meow as I fear its vocal cords have been surgically removed to stifle its voice,” said Katy Lifei, founder of Strays Abu Dhabi that traps and neuters stray cats through a network of volunteers.
The group is trying to raise Dh2,000 for a medical test which will confirm if the feline’s vocal cords were indeed severed. “I’ve been working with cats for the past 18 years and I have never come across anything more shocking. The cat is microchipped which means it was kept as a pet. The man who owned it must be a monster,” she said.
Banned
Declawing and devocalisation are banned in many countries as both operations are extremely painful and often result in lifelong problems for animals.
“It’s sad that some people in the UAE still subject their pets to these dangerous and cruel surgeries. The most commonly cited reasons for declawing and devocalisation is that the pet has scratched someone or ripped the furniture upholstery or because the pet owner doesn’t like their barking or meowing. Such people have no right to keep a pet. They may as well buy a soft toy,” said an animal activist.
(With inputs from Anjana Sankar)
