From uncertain futures to a home of their own, eight rescued cats found new families at an adoption event in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
Another four adoptions are pending following the gathering, which encouraged residents to consider the long-term commitment of taking in a pet.
Hosted by microchip database service Microchipped.ae and the Rosewood Abu Dhabi hotel, the event brought together animal rescuers, prospective adopters and families, and 56 cats available for adoption.
Alongside helping the animals find permanent homes, the event also highlighted responsible pet ownership and the importance of trap-neuter-return programmes to manage stray cat populations.
The event also drew strong support through Volunteers.ae, with all 80 volunteer places filled and others joining a reserve list.
For Dave Appleby, founder of Microchipped.ae, seeing the community come together was an emotional moment.
“It went beyond what we hoped,” he tells The National. “Seeing rescuers, adopters, families and our community all in one room at Rosewood, with ... real conversations around adoption, it felt like everything we’ve been working for over the last four years finally came together. It was emotional but also full of hope.”
The initiative has its roots in Appleby’s own experience of losing pets. In late 2022, he and his wife Jacqueline began searching for three missing cats in Khalifa City: Monty, Blacky and Winnie.
As The National reported in February 2023, Monty was eventually reunited with the couple after 100 days, when a resident recognised him from a photograph shared online.
The search prompted Appleby to develop Microchipped.ae, a free online platform that allows owners to match their pets’ microchip numbers with those of animals found or taken to vets and shelters.
His experience of pets going missing continues to shape the initiative’s work. “That pain is why Microchipped.ae exists – so no other family has to go through not knowing.”
Sunday’s event extended that mission to help rescued cats find permanent homes, while encouraging visitors to adopt rather than buy animals.
Appleby says he wanted people to leave with a greater appreciation of the stray cats they encounter and the difference small acts of care can make.
“If people left today thinking twice before ignoring a community cat, then we did our job,” he says.
“Every cat has a story and deserves to be seen. Microchipping, keeping a pet passport, taking that extra minute to scan a lost cat – those small actions are what bring cats home. Also, adoption is not a transaction; it’s a lifetime commitment.”
For residents interested in animal welfare but unsure where to begin, Appleby’s advice is to choose something manageable. Helping does not have to mean taking on several animals or becoming a full-time rescuer.
“Start small and start local. You don’t have to rescue 50 cats. Offer to foster for one week. Volunteer to drive a cat to a vet. Learn how to scan a microchip. Share a genuine adoption post instead of scrolling.”
People who encounter a lost cat can take a photograph, arrange for its microchip to be checked at a vet and share the information on the Microchipped website, he says.
“That one post could be the reason a family is reunited.”
Appleby also encourages residents to recognise the work rescuers undertake beyond public events. While an adoption day can bring people together and help cats find homes, their care depends on continued support.
“If you can’t adopt, support the rescuers who do it every day,” he says. “They are the backbone of animal welfare in the UAE and they burn out because they do it alone. Even just saying thank you goes a long way.”