Vicky Pattison has openly criticized expatriates in Dubai for abandoning their pets amid escalating missile threats in the Middle East.
Veterinary clinics in the area have reported a surge in inquiries regarding pet euthanasia as numerous British citizens seek to return home urgently.
The TV personality, 38, expressed her disapproval on Instagram Stories, stating that individuals leaving their pets behind never truly deserved them in the first place.
She posted: “Just a note… if you are abandoning your pets in Dubai – you didn’t deserve that animal to begin with and I pray it finds a better home. Shameful.”
K9 Friends Dubai, an organization dedicated to rehoming dogs, has been overwhelmed by the number of pet owners looking to relinquish their animals. The group has also been inundated with calls about abandoned puppies.
Animal welfare organizations are striving to find shelters for these pets, yet numerous online posts highlight the growing issue of deserted animals.
Vicky Pattison has blasted ‘shameful’ Dubai expats who abandoned their pets to flee the missiles raining down on the Middle East
Photos of dogs tied to lamp posts have been circulating online and vets have reported an influx in inquiries about euthanising pets
In response, the TV personality, 38, took to her Instagram Stories to say those leaving their animals behind never deserved them
And some vets have had to euthanise even healthy pets because their owners don’t want to face the relocation costs or paperwork.
Claire Hopkins, a resident of Dubai who volunteers with several animal organisations and shelters, said they were under severe financial pressure as fund-raising activities are highly regulated and Gofundme pages are banned in Dubai.
She said: ‘Some pet owners are stressed and panicking. It’s right across the board, and I think the Brits are better than most, but you’re talking about 200 different nationalities here in the UAE.
‘Some people want to give back their adoptive pets. There are dogs starting to be abandoned.
‘The airlines aren’t taking animals at the moment anyway as the flights are operating a very reduced service. If you wanted to get a rabies jab, then you have to delay your travel by a further three weeks.
‘I’m sorry to say that vets have had inquiries about euthanasia, which is disgusting.
‘Most vets would pass them on to the shelters, but we’re already full.’
Vicky and her husband Ercan Ramadan left Dubai after the US-Israel war against Iran sparked chaos in the UAE.
The star revealed they had been driven a whopping 11 hours across the border to Oman amid the ‘rising panic’ in a desperate bid to finally fly home to the UK after their three previous flights were cancelled.
The couple abandoned plans to try to fly to Australia or New Zealand, but wanted to return home and be reunited with their beloved dogs Milo and Max as ‘quickly and safety as possible’.
Alongside snaps of their mammoth trip to Oman, she penned: ‘We’re so sorry for our radio silence over the last week, with everything unfolding the way it was and changing so rapidly we desperately didn’t want to say anything insensitive or hyperbolic that would add to the rising panic around the situation’.
‘We really appreciate all your messages of concern and just wanted to reassure everyone that we’re fine. After 3 cancelled flights and the realisation that we definitely weren’t going to make it on to Australia and New Zealand we wanted to try and get home as quickly and safely as possible.’
She went on: ‘I understand that there are a lot of people still in Dubai feeling really calm and safe however, we wanted to be back to our babies, work and normality and we felt like Oman was our best option.
‘We made our way to Oman from Dubai with some of our friends via private transfer, we used this company @skyevipcarrental and found them to be professional, reasonably priced and comfortable.’
Vicky continued: ‘All in all, the journey took us around 11 hours, including around 2-3 hours at the border crossing, checking documents and passports and cost about £130pp’.
‘For anyone stuck in Dubai and wanting to get home via Oman, I will put more information on @vickysvacays.. I just don’t want to overwhelm or bore anyone on here. We are going to try and enjoy our last days away and explore Oman hopefully.
‘The last week has been quite unsettled and we understand people feeling unsafe and uncertain.. we have experienced moments like that, but ultimately feel like it’s important we acknowledge our position of privilege.
She added: ‘We are extremely grateful to be making our way home and are thinking of anyone feeling fearful or unsettled, anywhere in a world that is rapidly becoming an increasingly scary place to be.
‘Finally just a little Thankyou to @addressbeachresort and @uaegov for keeping us safe, calm and informed when possible. We will keep you updated and are looking forward to getting home in the next couple of days.’
