DUBAI: dubizzle is celebrating the third year of their successful pet adoption campaign, “Trusted by dubizzle”, that promotes responsible adoption practices exclusively for non-profit pet organisations in the UAE, and helps provide a safe and trustworthy space for pets in need of loving homes, while combating online fraud and rogue pet sellers.
Embracing the Ramadan spirit of compassion and generosity, dubizzle’s campaign is designed to promote the philosophy of ‘Adopt, Don’t Shop’ in a mission to combat the growing issue of abandoned pets across UAE.
The initiative is exclusively tailored for accredited non-profit pet organisations and shelters in the UAE that have been licenced and approved by the Community Development Authority (CDA). For the campaign, dubizzle has joined forces with three non-profits with a stellar record of animal rescue, shelter and rehoming – K9 Friends, RAK Animal Welfare and Yanni Animal Welfare – and will be seeking to expand the partnerships to include similar bona fide organisations through a rigorous process of vetting and validation.
As part of the campaign, dubizzle will provide free certified accounts under the “Pets for Free Adoption” category on the platform, placed on top of featured listings, to the three partner organisations, who will be certified as “Trusted by dubizzle”.
The organisations will be obligated to regularly update content on their dubizzle account, ensuring that each advert includes essential information such as breed, sex, age, vaccination details, medical history, and behavioural traits of the pet, along with a minimum of 5 high-quality images of the pet. The “Trusted by dubizzle” partners must also include valid contact details for the shelter to facilitate responsible pet adoption practices and help prospective pet owners provide the comfort of a home to pets in need.
Commenting on the initiative, Sahar Khan, Vice President of Marketing at dubizzle and Bayut, said: “This Ramadan, we are proud to roll out the third season of Trusted by dubizzle, an initiative that has seen an overwhelming response in the past two seasons from pet lovers across the UAE. We are thrilled to partner with three amazing organisations this year and provide the perfect platform to showcase their pets in need of loving homes to a wide audience in a safe, secure and verified manner – after all, everyone is on dubizzle!
“The third year of this campaign is a testament to our commitment to responsible pet adoption – this is a cause close to our hearts that will help pet lovers find their companions in a humane and authentic manner through registered adoption centres that are as deeply committed to animal welfare as we are. We always believe that together we can make a difference in the lives of countless animals across the country, and ensure they find caring homes where they can be safe and happy. We will continue to invite similar organisations to join us in this meaningful cause, while actively combating the activities of illegal sellers who use animals for profit.”
First started in February 2022, the “Trusted by dubizzle” campaign has received glowing feedback and testimonials from dubizzle users and animal shelters alike, who have thanked the platform for pioneering a meaningful cause.
Saeed Al Kass, Executive Director, Landscape Agency & RAK AWC highlighted the importance of the initiative in rehoming strays, saying: “Trusted by dubizzle has been hugely beneficial to RAK Animal Welfare Centre, as it has increased our visibility and raised awareness of the work we do in sheltering and rehoming abandoned and stray animals. The issue we face is growing daily due to the increasing problem of illegal breeding and the unlicensed sale of pets in the UAE. As always, we encourage anyone looking for a pet to avoid illegal breeders, and instead consider adopting a pet for organisations like RAK Animal Welfare Centre when we have thousands of homeless animals looking for a loving home. Give these pets a chance, and they will show you how much love they have to give!”
Siddhi Mulaokar, Marketing Manager at K9 Friends, added: “At K9 Friends our mission is rehoming dogs and educating people about responsible dog ownership. The Trusted by dubizzle initiative has supported this mission by increasing the public’s recognition of K9 Friends as a trusted source for adopting dogs. Our motto is ‘Adopt, Don’t Shop’, as there are so many animals already looking for a home.”
According to Mulaokar, most of the time the issue arises when people do not do any research on the responsibilities of pet ownership, in terms of both time and costs for both living in the UAE and the relocation process if you are an expat. That is when the pets are abandoned, either at a shelter, or left in bad situations.
“At K9 Friends, we recommend to anyone considering getting a pet to foster one for two weeks first. If that is too much of a challenge, then the decision needs more careful consideration! At K9 Friends we seek to educate potential dog owners by offering ways for them to interact with dogs to see if it is a good fit for their lifestyle. From dog walking to short-term fostering, people can reach out to us over email or by phone for more information.”
Exclusive benefits for registered non-profits
As part of the campaign, participating organisations receive an exclusive array of benefits from dubizzle. These include a verified and dedicated account on dubizzle, to posting ads for pet adoption within the pet category at absolutely no cost. Such ads enjoy complimentary premium placement and prime visibility as they are featured prominently at the top of the listings, ensuring maximum exposure and increasing the chances of adoption.
Partners also receive the “Trusted by dubizzle” badge that enhances the credibility of the account, showcasing the partnership with dubizzle on all their listings and standing out as a symbol of trust and reliability, thereby attracting quality adopters. Partner organisations also benefit from dubizzle’s outstanding reach on social media platforms as well as generous PR exposure.
The “Trusted by dubizzle” campaign aims to reinforce the fact that in the UAE, trading in animals without a licence is illegal, and rescue centres must be certified by the CDA to facilitate pet adoptions. The criteria for obtaining a CDA licence for operating a non-profit civil society organisation in Dubai include presenting a two-year financial plan, a list of founding members, official sponsors, and a board of five trustees, with at least one Emirati member. The campaign seeks to guide all partners to adhere to these regulations to ensure the responsible and legal operation of pet adoption initiatives.
Join dubizzle in supporting a compassionate choice: Adopt, don’t shop! Explore the many lovable pets waiting for a forever home here: https://dubai.dubizzle.com/classified/pets/pets-for-free-adoption/.
