The conflict in the Middle East is escalating daily, plunging numerous cities into chaos. Dubai, a haven for influencers and a city of luxury and excess, has become the target of several attacks. Even though the local government is urging people not to panic, expatriates have rushed to pack their bags, leaving their pets behind.
Animals, the invisible victims of the conflict
A cat trapped on a balcony, its meow a cry for help. Kittens left to fend for themselves in a near-ghost town. A dog tied to a lamppost, waiting for its owner who will never return, and dozens of others wandering deserted streets, their collars still fastened. It's impossible to remain unmoved by these scenes of desolation and profound animal suffering. Since the conflict erupted in the Middle East, Dubai has found itself in a vulnerable position. This city, once hailed as an Eldorado, has gradually descended into uncertainty, forcing expatriates to book flights to "safer" countries, located outside the "war zone."
Despite their reassuring pronouncements, the country's leaders failed to overcome the infamous "survival instinct." The influencers who populate this land of the United Arab Emirates abandoned their villas and dizzying penthouses to seek refuge and save their own lives, leaving their pets with a grim fate. Since this mass exodus, shelters have been overwhelmed with requests, and animal welfare organizations are outraged by such a lack of humanity.
These animals, abandoned like trash in a hostile environment, suddenly found themselves without a family. According to the testimony of a volunteer from the UAE Animal Community account, relayed by the Telegraph , some people even asked veterinarians for the unthinkable: "To euthanize their healthy animals... because they don't want to bear the moving costs or the paperwork."
Expats fleeing Dubai abandoning their pets on streets and outside rescue centers as they rush to leave the Gulf state https://t.co/zQBUTrzueI
— Daily Mail (@DailyMail) March 9, 2026
Influencers at the heart of the controversy
The "cumbersome" administrative procedures are a recurring theme in influencers' arguments. This was the case for internet sensation Maddy Burciaga, who left the smog behind to bask under the blue skies of Mauritius. While she continues to post stories of palm trees and settle into her new tropical life, her dog Maya remained in Dubai. She clarified the situation, reminding everyone that her dog was in good hands: those of their nanny. She also specified that it wasn't a one-way trip and that the family would be reunited soon.
Despite this attempt at defense, the Animal League did not mince words. "A dog would never leave its human to save its own skin. Dogs are ready to go through a war to stay with their humans. That's the whole difference between loyalty... and comfort," it fumed on X (formerly Twitter), pointing to a glaring lack of empathy. These dogs and cats, who had always known the warmth of a home, went from endless affection to absolute misery in just a few days, simply because their paperwork wasn't "in order." And the shelters , small-scale facilities in Dubai, are so overcrowded that they cannot rescue all these homeless animals.
Simplifying procedures is essential for animal welfare.
While influencers can afford villas with ocean views, designer clothes, and luxury cars, internet users have deduced that they can also afford a private jet to resolve the "administrative issues" associated with their furry companions. This is what lifestyle content creator Jade Lavoie, who has 1.3 million followers, reportedly did. A much more reasonable and logical choice than abandoning one's pet in the desert or on the outskirts of burning cities. For ordinary travelers, who don't have the budget to travel like celebrities, it's a bit more complicated. Reaching the promised land with one's faithful four-legged friend requires patience.
“The conditions for animals entering the European Union, particularly the requirement for rabies antibody titers, which must be tested 30 days after vaccination and 3 months before arrival in France,” explains the Brigitte Bardot Foundation . Given the urgency of the situation and increasingly frequent missile alerts, meeting these deadlines is difficult. However, in 2022, Ukraine made an exception to the law with a special provision allowing refugees to bring their animals with them, regardless of their circumstances.
In a city where anything seems possible, providing basic safety for pets should be the norm, not an exception. Images of starving kittens on balconies and stray dogs roaming deserted streets are silent calls for global awareness. Because behind every abandoned animal lies a story of betrayed loyalty. Abandonment is not a solution; it's a scourge, an illustration of the depths of human depravity.
