BATOOL GHAITH (ABU DHABI)
When circumstances shift within a household, pets are often the most vulnerable. In the UAE, an online community is quietly working behind the scenes to ensure animals are not left behind.
Home to residents of more than 200 nationalities, the UAE sees scores of people coming and going, whether for new opportunities halfway around the world or personal reasons. In those moments of transition, a question arises: what happens to the pets in their care?
A WhatsApp-based network, "No Pet Left Behind", steps in to provide answers. It connects pet owners in need with volunteers willing to foster, adopt, or help transport animals across the country.
The initiative began when Shika Bodani and her friend Nikita Kanani Mehta noticed how, in some cases of relocation, pet owners struggled to find options for their fur babies.
"Nikita and I felt that if we could simply connect people who needed help with people who were willing to step in, even temporarily, we could prevent situations like that," Bodani told Aletihad.
And that is when the No Pet Left Behind community group was created, bringing together pet lovers willing to help animals find safe homes, whether temporarily or permanently.
The initiative now relies largely on WhatsApp groups, allowing volunteers across the UAE to respond quickly when a pet needs help.
"When someone reaches out about a pet that needs support, the first step is gathering the basic details, such as where the pet is located and what kind of help is needed," Bodani explained.
The feedback and response they received exceeded expectations. "More than 400 people have signed up, offering to foster or adopt, and through those connections we have already helped around 30 to 40 pets find temporary foster homes or permanent placements," Bodani said.
According to her, the group works closely with established organisations that already operate rescue and adoption programmes. They currently direct volunteers and adopters to The Mussafah Dog Project, Bubbles Pets Rescue, and the RAK Animal Welfare Centre, which manage proper screening and placement processes.
Community members have also been contributing in other ways, including donating food, supplies, and other support for local shelters, she said.
Mehta, the second founder, emphasised that much of the initiative's success comes from volunteers who step in when animals need immediate help.
"People support the initiative in many ways depending on what they can offer.
Some volunteers open their homes to pets in need by offering temporary foster care, while others help with transport, bringing animals to veterinary appointments or moving them between locations," Mehta told Aletihad.
Others contribute by simply spreading the word, she said: "Sharing posts and raising awareness is incredibly important. Visibility often helps animals find homes much faster."
According to Mehta, many of the cases the group receives involve pet owners dealing with sudden relocations.
"In many cases, owners love their animals very much but simply need time and support to organise travel, paperwork, or housing so they can eventually bring their pets with them," she explained.
Both founders stress that pets should always be treated as family members. Mehta encourages owners to plan ahead so that if travel or relocation becomes necessary, the essentials are already in place.
"Make sure you find a caring foster home or trusted daycare if you need to leave temporarily. Get the documentation ready so it becomes easier to bring your pet when you are ready," she said.
They also emphasised that all pet owners must ensure their animals are up to date with vaccinations, microchipped, and have proper travel documentation.
What started as a WhatsApp group between friends has grown into a network driven by compassion. For Bodani and Mehta, the goal remains simple: to ensure that no animal is left without care when its owners need help the most.