Feeding cats and birds randomly is an open invitation to the spread of insects and rodents

Seeing leftover food thrown on the sidewalk and in the middle of buildings, under the pretext of feeding animals, is an annoying phenomenon for many, and causes environmental and health problems, in addition to contributing significantly to the increase in the number of homeless animals.

Health and legal specialists described the indiscriminate feeding of animals and birds as “negative behavior,” because it distorts the general appearance and increases the chances of transmitting infection from animals to humans.

“Emirates Today” received complaints from residents and shop owners, in which they confirmed that compassion for animals does not justify placing leftover food, legumes, or pastries on the sidewalks and between buildings, which leads to the gathering of insects and rodents and the spread of unpleasant odors, in addition to the droppings of the birds themselves, which disfigure the facades of buildings and vehicles in the place.

Residents of buildings and villas: Muhammad Al-Mansouri, Issa Badr, Ahmed Khalaf, Maryam Sultan, and Yum Al-Khalili, blamed those behind this phenomenon.

They said, “There are those who became obsessed and placed plastic or wooden boxes to be a permanent gathering place for these animals, ignoring the violation of the law that their behavior entailed.”

They pointed out that there are two types of residents who periodically feed loose animals: “The first puts in dry food, which is manufactured and processed dry food for pets, and the other type brings out leftover food, often leftover rice, chicken, or fish, as if he were finding an alternative to the garbage can.”

They added: “Although the first type causes an increase in the number of cats in the areas where dry food is placed, its harm remains less than the second type, which causes the spread of unpleasant odors and the spread of insects.”

They confirmed that this behavior caused an increase in the number of birds and cats and their settlement in neighborhoods, which resulted in an increase in waste, an increase in the risk of transmitting infectious diseases, the spread of unpleasant odors, and the proliferation of insects.

They called for imposing deterrent fines on perpetrators of this behavior.

Those affected by the indiscriminate feeding of cats and birds: Muhammad Hossam, Ziad Abdullah, Wael Abdel Hamid, Israa Saleh, and Sarah Suleiman, suggested establishing dedicated feeding stations that limit random practices that distort the general appearance, oblige those wishing to feed stray animals with specific types of appropriate food, and encourage medical clinics to implement community initiatives to treat sick or injured cats, before returning them to their environment after they recover, noting that disseminating this solution supports Regulated animal welfare practices that maintain a healthy environment do not harm humans or animals, and do not spoil the public landscape.

Cleanliness and responsibility

Professor of Community Culture at a number of Emirati universities, Dr. Saif Rashid Al Jabri, stated that “birds and others do not depend primarily on humans, as their Creator provided for them, and they innately know how to manage their affairs, and if a person wants to do good, he must master his work, and not cause harm to others or distort the general appearance,” noting that “people who place food scraps in the streets and on sidewalks under the pretext of feeding birds and cats out of reward, we must alert them.” Cleanliness is a part of faith, and throwing away these quantities of leftover food is evidence that there is waste and consumption in excess of what is needed, which is forbidden, and they must realize that they must prepare enough food to sustain the blessings.”

He said that feeding cats is considered charity, and being kind to animals and being kind to them is a reason for forgiveness of major sins, but awareness must be spread among members of society to feed in a civilized manner, which reinforces the concept of “feeding cleanly and responsibly,” in order to keep our cities clean, because irresponsible feeding of cats and birds causes inconvenience to residents, losses to business owners, waste of government resources, and exposes cats and birds themselves to abuse.

advisory opinion

In turn, the Emirates Council for Sharia Fatwa indicated in its response to a question via the electronic fatwa service, regarding “feeding cats and stray birds,” that “feeding them is considered permissible, but it must be adhered to in accordance with public order, and what this requires of maintaining the cleanliness of the streets, and there is no legal objection to giving leftover food to cats while being careful not to pollute the streets or spread bad odors, as one of the well-known Sharia rules is that (do no harm),” stressing that The state is making tremendous efforts to keep the streets clean, so everyone should appreciate these efforts and help in them as much as possible.

Health risks

Family medicine consultant, Dr. Hala Abdel Karim, confirmed that the phenomenon of throwing leftover food in the streets and around homes, from a family medicine perspective, is one of the practices that carries real health risks to society, because “these remains attract insects and rodents, and provide a permanent source of food for loose animals, which leads to an increase in the possibility of the spread of infectious diseases among family members and society.”

She said: “Stray animals that gather around these remains may carry dangerous diseases such as rabies, some viral infections, and parasites that are transmitted through contact or scratching. Toxoplasmosis is also widespread among stray cats, which is a disease that may infect a person without them realizing it, and remains latent for years. Although its symptoms are mild in most people, it poses a clear danger to pregnant women, the elderly, children, and those with weak immune systems.”

She added: “The damage also extends to the skin side, where contact with places where animals or waste accumulate can lead to skin infections such as ringworm, which appears in the form of a rash, redness, and hair loss. As for simple scratches from infected cats, they may cause a bacterial infection that leads to swelling at the site of the scratch, swollen lymph nodes, high fever, and general fatigue.”

She stressed that “preserving a healthy and safe environment is a shared responsibility that begins with the family.”

“Toxoplasma”

Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialist, Dr. Mai Muhammad, warned of the gatherings of stray cats that are spreading due to the habit of random feeding, noting that, “If stray cats do not find food in the place they are accustomed to, they begin to lick passers-by or attack them. In both cases, the person can become infected with cat scratch disease, which is a type of bacteria that cats are infected with, and the infection can be transmitted to humans through being exposed to a scratch from an infected cat, or exposing an open wound in the human skin to its saliva, and he suffers.” The patient may have swelling or a small, raised bump at the site of the bite or scratch. The lymph nodes near the site of the scratch may also become swollen, and the patient may suffer from fever and muscle pain.

She said that stray cats pose a risk of transmitting the “toxoplasma” infection, which they carry because they do not receive the necessary vaccinations, which is an infection resulting from a parasite with the same name that causes miscarriage in pregnant women, and other harms if they have an immune deficiency.”

a fine

For her part, lawyer Hadiya Hammad confirmed that throwing leftover food in the street for the purpose of feeding cats and birds is a violation according to UAE law, as feeding birds and cats without legal regulation exposes the general appearance to disfigurement, in addition to the spread of insects, rodents and diseases. The law regulating this, Order No. 16 of 2007 regarding animal welfare, clarifies how to feed animals in a safe and healthy manner, and stresses the prohibition of feeding them randomly, and the perpetrator of that act is punished with a fine.

For his part, the lawyer, Salem Obaid Al-Naqbi, confirmed that feeding stray cats or animals in the street is a violation of the law and requires a fine of 200 dirhams, and in some places and residential complexes the fine is increased to 500 dirhams, indicating that the reason behind this fine, according to the municipality, is its danger to public health, because feeding stray animals leads to their gathering and increasing numbers, which contributes to the spread of infection. He said: “From a legislative standpoint: The Animal Welfare Law in the Emirates (as stipulated in the Animal Protection Legislation) sets regulations for the care of animals, but it is required that the animal be under the care of a responsible person or entity and not a stray animal at all, and public hygiene laws (throwing garbage and food scraps in the streets and cleaning public places) are considered a violation according to municipal standards.”

Al-Naqbi added: “Many people feel compassion toward stray animals, and want to help them and provide food and water, especially in a hot climate. However, “compassion” alone is not enough if cleanliness, appropriate housing, and veterinary care are not taken into account so that the attempt to help does not turn into an environmental and health problem, as placing food scraps and scattering grains on the sidewalks causes clear negative effects, including the creation of permanent gatherings of dozens of cats and invasive birds in residential areas, and the inconvenience and odor-producing waste they cause. And waste litters the streets.”

Al-Naqbi stressed that “feeding animals in the street out of compassion is understandable and appreciated, but it leads to environmental, health, and legal damage that is much greater than what many expect,” noting that “the ideal solution is organized compassion, by contacting competent authorities, supporting sterilization and vaccination efforts, contributing to adoption, and preserving the cleanliness of society and the environment to help animals, protect humans, and preserve the beauty of our cities.”