# pets in Dubai



## jillthomas (Apr 17, 2008)

Hi, our family of 4 is considering a move to Dubai from Sydney. I've been reading through all the posts which have answered most of my questions but nobody mentions animals. We have 2 large family dogs which I would love to bring. Are dogs accepted over there, do you see people walking dogs.
My husband is an Air Traffic Controller. Can anyone recommend a nice area for families close to the airport, thanks Jill


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## sgilli3 (Mar 23, 2008)

Hi Jill
Welcome back to the board !
Sure animals are welcomed here (lots of people bring across their cats and dogs)
Obviously bringing across 2 dogs can be expensive, so if you havent already talked about that cost in your relocation, you may want to think about that.

Also having dogs, you would need to be housed in a villa (obv. more expensive than an apartment)

As to walking the dogs, it may be a case of heading out to the desert and letting them have a run around.

As the hotter weather approaches, you will really only be able to head out with them very early morning/very late evening (to be fair to you and the dogs)

Perhaps Dubai Silicon Oasis may suit you for housing (as a lot of Emirates pilots/families live there)

Mirdiff is another area close to the airport (the rents here are a little more reasonable than other parts of Dubai...at this stage)

Hope this helps a little
Cheers


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## jillthomas (Apr 17, 2008)

Thanks for that Sgilli3, I actually have 2 Burmese cats as well and 4 horses, obviously the horses will have to be sold, and hopefully my inlaws will take the cats. My husband hasn't even told them about the move yet.

My other issue is I'm a horse dentist and not sure if I'll be allowed to work over there. It's not the end of the world if I can't, I couldn't work full time because of my children but I would love to be able to work 2 days a week.


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## sgilli3 (Mar 23, 2008)

Hi Jill,
Lots of mums work here.
You will be able to work once you have your residency sorted.
There is a fairly big horse community here, so you may be able to find work here.
You may be lucky to find 2 days a week...part time work isnt that common as full time work, but you still may find something that works around school hrs (usually 7.30-8 until approx 1.30)

Wow..there is a lot for you to consider, especially with your horses!
How old are the children and do they know about the possible move?
Is your hubby looking at working at the Dubai airport, or is the position for the new Jebel Ali airport?

Cheers


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## jillthomas (Apr 17, 2008)

Hi again,
My daughter Amy is 16 in July and my son Connor was 6 in April, yes they both know about the move, Connor has no opinion as a 6yo would. Amy isn't sure, she's in year 10 this year. I will possibly fly over with her for a few days to have a look. Ian has a friend who has lived over there for 6 years. He and his wife don't want to come home. He works in Dubai airport. Ian thinks his job will be in the new airport, but may have to work at both. He doesn't mind at all


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

There have been posts before about bringing in animals. Many people do & why wouldn't you want to bring a member of your family.

The links below should help:


Bringing Animals to the UAE

:::: Ministry Of Environment & Water ::::

Pet travel scheme - pet export / import: taking pets abroad


As you may be aware horse-racing is big in Dubai, so I would have thought there would be interested in your skills. Presumably you will sponsored by your husband so he can give you a no-objection letter and you will be able to work. Suggest you contact (horse) vets once you move out here.

Other areas where you'll find villas, with easy access to the airport, include Mirdiff, Al Rashidiya and Garhoud.

-


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## kmarcel (Apr 19, 2008)

Yes, animals are accepted in the UAE, however, you must follow the rules and regulations for importing them. They must be shipped as cargo, have a microchip implant, and an import permit, just to name a few. If you Google import permit uae, you should be able to find the government site that lists all the requirements.

We just brought our two cats with us from the States. We had no problems, but you need to make sure you follow the requirements. We live in the Arabian Ranches, and see people walking their dogs all the time. Word or warning, it gets extremely hot here in the summer, so you will not want to leave the dogs outside for any length of time, nor do you want to leave them in the car. 

A couple of areas you might want to look into that are fairly close to the airport are Festival City, and Mirdif. There are some nice developments going up in Festival City. Don't know a lot about Mirdif, but I do know that housing is less expensive there, and they have a new school (Uptown Mirdif - a Beacon School) which is supposed to be very good. Hope that helps!


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## jillthomas (Apr 17, 2008)

The Arabian Ranches sounds great, between both airports. Is the traffic better out there or much the same as town?


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## kmarcel (Apr 19, 2008)

I believe the traffic is a bit better, but you still have some conjested areas especially during the rush hour traffic. You will probably want to look into schools, as that may determine where you want to live. Finding the right school can be difficult, as many of the good ones are booked with a 2+ years waiting list. I send my kids to Greenfield Community School which is located in the Green Community (about a 25 min. drive). It's a new school and so far I've been very happy and the kids seem to be happy. The only thing is, that at the present they are only a Primary School. 

I really love it in Dubai, and the Arabian Ranches is a nice community (a much quieter, more relaxed atmosphere, I feel). Good luck with whatever you decide.


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## murphyberlin (Oct 18, 2009)

*Horse dentist in Dubai*

Hi Jill,

I know your last message is a little outdated by now, but maybe you are already in Dubai at this stage which will make it easier to answer my questions. I am also Horse Dentist and although I come originally from Ireland I have been living in Germany for the past 10 years. I was hoping to get out of here for the winter this year as it gets down to minus 20 C around here. I have been talking to a few agencies and one of them has work in Dubai for a few months. The problem is they don't seem very professional and I don't think they will get their act together before the end of November. Have you found out if there is a market for your work there, and would you recommend Dubai for me for a few months work? Thanks, Patrick


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