WHETHER working, professional or pampered pets, man’s best friend will be the centre of attraction at the Nad Al Sheba Club next Saturday (February 10).
The occasion is the 19th Pedigree and Whiskas Pet Show, when rare breeds and lovable mutts alike will have their day in the spotlight.
The event has grown to become the biggest of its kind in the Middle East and more than 35,000 people are expected to attend – from across the UAE.
On show will be upwards of 1,000 pets – cats and dogs.
Prizes are on offer in a wide range of categories, ranging from ‘pedigree puppy’ to ‘best fancy dress’.
Admission for visitors is free, but nominal entry fees are charged for pets submitted for judging in the various categories.
All sponsorship proceeds and donations from the day are for the benefit of K9 Friends and Feline Friends, charities that provide good homes for abandoned animals, ensuring their wellbeing and regularly reuniting lost pets with their owners.
Last year, the animal welfare organisations benefited by 42,500 dirhams.
Top billing goes to the police dogs that will appear in the Agility Ring to demonstrate their incredible skills, intelligence, and bravery. Dog-owners who fancy their own skills as trainers can pit their pets’ abilities against the four-legged professionals – not head to head, but over the same agility course.
Maya Theodory, pet care manager at Masterfoods, the show’s sponsors, describes the event as “an exceptional day out for the family”.
But as well as all the fun and games, the Pedigree and Whiskas Pet Show also has a serious side, educating people in the joys of animal companionship while encouraging responsible pet ownership.
Helping further this objective will be Dubai Municipality's Veterinary Services Section.
Specialist veterinarians will offer technical support, information and other animal-related services. The Veterinary Services’ pavilion will also show promotional videos to introduce their work to the public.
“For 18 years, the show has been successfully focusing on communicating the benefits of pets in the community,” said Theodory. "Responsible ownership is essential in the pet-human relationship, so we want to demonstrate how this can be achieved to the optimum mutual benefit.”
Lieutenant Abdul Salam Al Shamsi, head of the Dubai Police Canine Division, says participation in the show highlights the role of the department and the missions that the dogs can handle in maintaining community security.
His views were echoed by Major Jamal Jumaa Habash, who heads the Abu Dhabi Police dog squad. He commented: “We will have around 20 dogs and 35 trainers demonstrating drug and explosive searches, crowd control, marching, and obedience as well as special fun session for children.”
K9 Friends’ chairperson Jackie Ratcliffe urged pet lovers to attend the show, saying: “Just by being there, animal-lovers are supporting our work and at the same we can spread the message about responsible pet ownership.
“If all pet owners behaved responsibly, there would be no need for our organisation to exist at all. In that sense we must be among the very few people who would dearly love to be out of a job!”
Over the 17 years that the Pedigree and Whiskas Pet Show has supported K9 Friends and Feline Friends, the organisations have benefited by thousands of dirhams, enabling it to carry out its voluntary work in looking after abandoned pets, finding them new homes, reuniting lost pets with their owners, and educating the public about responsible pet ownership.
With five full-time staff and 15 volunteers, K9 Friends set up the first animal shelter in the Middle East and has found new homes for more than 2,000 dogs in the past four years alone.
“It is not imaginable how the community would look if we were not active here to get stray or abandoned dogs off the streets,” said Ratcliffe. “We have also introduced a successful neutering program which has reduced the numbers of unwanted births.
“The pet show is a great chance to communicate to public and educate people about our work. We have a big presence there and it helps us to increase our awareness and to be recognised as a organisation that benefits the whole community.
“From a marketing point of view it is the most important channel for publicity work and helps find new pet owners and helpers for our organisation.”
