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Animal rights advocates plan to build sanctuary

Abu Dhabi residents leading fundraising drive to save numerous strays

By Dina El Shammaa, Abu Dhabi Deputy Editor, Gulf News
Published: 00:00 December 26, 2009

Many stray animals live in poor conditions. Some are sick or are found dead in the street. Some residents in Abu Dhabi have decided to tackle the problem.
Image Credit: Supplied picture

Abu Dhabi: Animal lovers are raising as much donations as possible in order to build an animal sanctuary for thousands of thirsty, hungry, ill and injured animals roaming the streets of Abu Dhabi.

Cats and dogs are found dead in the middle of highways with cars repeatedly stepping over their bodies, or stuck under car tires by the hour.

While cats struggle to find shelter and water, their also witnessed taking refuge from fear of being put down. Dogs end up abused, dead or severely ill or injured. Those are just some of the conditions street animals go through on hourly basis.

For that reason, citizens in the capital city, such as Laurel Moore, who has moved to Abu Dhabi eight months ago, has decided to do something about the poor living conditions among stray animals.

Moore, an artist, is in the process of organizing an Animal Lovers Art Auction to help raise funds for the Strays of Abu Dhabi (SAD) who along with other none-profit organizations across the capital city, are interested in building an animal sanctuary.

The art auction will include 51 international paintings (16 local and 35 from the USA) that will be auctioned for a week at the Abu Dhabi Millennium Hotel by April 2010.

“It was week one when I saw a stray dog dead in the road. Then as the weeks went by I began noticing many thin stray cats wandering around, one particular thin family living under a shopping trolley barely surviving the summer heat. For me this didn’t seem right,” said Moore, who adopted two saluki dogs from the SAD shortly after that.

SAD and Feline Friends (FF) currently depend on donations, and many times help home and offer services to stray animals from their own savings. Neither organization has a sponsors to date.

Some of SAD’s costly animal services include vaccinations/worming and tick and flea control for street dogs; medications and treatment for sick or injured stray animals; kennel fees since SAD pay full price for kennels for six months of the year; and sterilizations of adopted dogs (spays and neuters).

According to FF founders, Anita and Colin Signorino, their yearly running costs are over Dh160, 000 which mainly consists of vet bills. The couple spend Dh400 to spay as much female street cats as possible and neuter male cats for Dh300.

“We survive on adoption fees, which barely cover the cost of getting a cat ready for adoption and a few fundraisers during the year. Our dream and ultimate goal is to have a small but well equipped shelter for mainly cats and dogs, with a clinic, a vet and technicians. That would greatly reduce our running costs and allow us to help more abandoned street animals,” said the FF founders.

Dr. Rachel Shaw, from the American Veterinary Clinic (AVC) and head of the homing and fostering coordinator for SAD feels that by working together with other animal related organizations such as FF, there will be a significant increase in the number of animals assisted.

“Ultimately the goal of any organization that re-homes stray and abandoned animals is to have sufficient funds to build a rescue shelter specifically for the animals the organization is assisting,” said Shaw.

Tina Al Qubaisi, owner of the Dhabian Equestrian Club, has so far rescued and homed 30 cats, 15 horses, a donkey, ducks, chicken, sheep and two dogs. However her passion to help more animals does not stop there.

“We are ready to move to the next step and have all the plans in place to open an animal rescue center but require land and funding from both the government and private sponsors,” she told Gulf News, adding that to date there are no shelters available for animals to be taken in if they are removed from their owners for acts of cruelty.

Another citizen who gets out of her way to help home and save street animals is Raghad, who has been fighting to protect street cats for many years now.

“I disagree with the current process of putting down healthy street animals just because they cannot home them. That’s why I offered them a second chance at Tina’s farm. We are trying to make it better for animals, even though our hands are tied,” said the animal lover.

Despite repeated efforts, Gulf News was unable to reach the concerned animal Welfare Department at the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority regarding plans on introducing a new animal sanctuary to home the millions of stray animals in Abu Dhabi.

Donations

If you would like to donate money to help build a shelter for animals you may do so through:

Straysofabudhabi.com and visit the donation page. If you need further information about the Animal Lovers Art Auction you may contact artist Laurel Moore directly on questions@moorethanart.com or 050-906-9557

The Animal Lovers Artworks will also be placed in the straysofabudhabi.com website to allow bidders to view the paintings before they bid.

To help support Tina Al Qubaisi, owner of the Dhabian Equestrian Club, you can contact her directly on dhabianequestrianclub@gmail.com or 050-662-0969

To help support Feline Friends (FF) sterilization programme, you can drop your donation at either the American Vet Clinic (AVC), British Vet Clinic (BV) or the German Vet Clinic (GVC) or deposit the money directly into the FF account #0697356442, Colin Signorino (Feline Friends), at Mushreq Bank and send a follow up email to info@felinefriendsuae.com

View me Jazz Singing and playing my Saxophone at my Tedx performance this April in Abu Dhabi. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Az_YF_Qocfw

My Art at www.moorethanart.com

For your Art enquires questions@moorethanart.com (All art sent with tracking and insurance via TNT in a postal tube).

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Sunday, December 20

Meet our Charity Art Auction Artists: Lina Ogaily Sami

by Laurel on Sun 20 Dec 2009 06:43 AM GMT

Hello bloggers

I can't believe we've actually had our first rain storm here in Abu Dhabi! A very wierd experience! But unusually for here, it was also torrential at times. We must have had about 3/4 centimeters. And of course rain with sand and dust creates the messiest of combinations imaginable. The roads certainly couldn't cope with the downpour and there were floods!

My new little veg patch liked it, of course. But our new little dogs, really hadn't seen rain before! And our desert dog (Saluki) certainly was very unimpressed with all that wet stuff. She didn't like the feel of it on her paws or her fur either. I kind of had to drag her out, and suffer some very hurtful looks from Suki!

Anyway, I'd like to introduce our wonderful second artist Lina Ogaily Sami. You can find her very vibrant and detailed work here : http://losart.com/art-gallery.html?func=viewcategory&catid=1 Gorgeous! And wouldn't that look great on your walls, especially if you love contemporary?

Lina is the daughter of two Iraqi architects. She grew up in Kuwait, then later moved to England to study art and design at Kingston University. She is now a close neighbour, living in Dubai where she has turned her focus to painting for the last 10 years.

I particularly love her observations from the point of view of herself as an artist:

'Self-exploration to many of us is an uncomfortable journey......it is a difficult challenge that sometimes forces us to come to terms with our inhibitions, but also introduces us to our inner strengths that lay hidden beneath the mask we use to help us get by and face the daily challenges of life........My journey over the last 17 years between the West and the Middle East has rewarded me with this strength ....the power of self-expression where freedom has become my most valued source of inspiration.'

If you are local you will have the opportunity to bid on one of Lina's paintings at The Millenium Hotel, with all profits going to Strays Of Abu Dhabi (straysofabudhabi.com) Most of these paintings are going to auction with NO RESERVE!!

Here's an example of one of my favourites by Lina Ogaily Sami.

Also find Lina on Artslant.com http://www.artslant.com/global/artists/show/61504-lina-ogaily

Lina will be offering one of her fascinating black and white series for our Art Auction. It kind of draws you in, to follow and makes sense of the lines and shapes until you find shapes you think you see............

Don't forget to join this cause, here we are on facebook: http://apps.facebook.com/causes/sharings?context_id=388344&context_type=Cause&post_type=photo#

Here's our lovely new bookends Suki and Bonnie, lazin' on the sofa

Oh, and if you're local don't forget to visit the Abu Dhabi Art Festival at Captital Park (the park behind the Millenium Hotel in the Corniche) There's lots to do for families and children: music, entertainment and wonderful art for sale. I'm also exhibiting there. You'll find five of my paintings there for sale. Including my 'Deep Blue' from my website www.moorethanart.com and some of my doggy portraits. Have fun!

View me Jazz Singing and playing my Saxophone at my Tedx performance this April in Abu Dhabi. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Az_YF_Qocfw

My Art at www.moorethanart.com

For your Art enquires questions@moorethanart.com (All art sent with tracking and insurance via TNT in a postal tube).

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Saturday, December 5

Meet our Charity Art Auction Artists: Kathleen Beesley

by Laurel on Sat 05 Dec 2009 05:30 AM GMT

Horse Portrait, by Kathleen Beesley.

Hello bloggers

As you probably know by now I'm organizing a HUGE charity Art Auction here in Abu Dhabi. With all the moneys going to Strays Of Abu Dhabi (SAD), an animal rescue charity here. Each artist is working on an animal painting, with our theme being 'The Animal Lovers Auction'. I will be showing samples of their work over the coming weeks........................

This week I woke up to discover I had 32 talented Artists all offering to donate one of their paintings to our cause! http://apps.facebook.com/causes/388344/93770468?m=71bb3202 What a wonderful thing that is indeed!

I think one of the issues for strays here is really the heat and lack of water. Many have been abandoned over the recession period in the summer heat. And it's so intense, it's very hard to describe. The best description I've heard is walking into a steam baths!

But, anyway, I'd like to introduce to you KATHLEEN BEESLEY. A wonderfully talented equine and animal artists, living here in Abu Dhabi. She is also a Strays Of Abu Dhabi (straysofabudhabi.com) volunteer/organizer and one of a team of foster-mums for so many lucky doggies. By fostering one or more dogs into her own home, it really helps to rehabilitate and retrain a dog who needs that extra home help.

Moo and Daisy, each looking for a new home.

Kathleen is currently fostering these bouncy two brothers and sisters. I wonder if she's had any little accidents yet?

Anyway, enough of my waffling. Since her art really speaks for itself:

'As a child Kathleen loved painting and drawing, however, she chose the academic root for much of her life. She met her husband at university and life took her in a direction far removed from the world of art. Her return to painting and drawing was the result of a happy accident. He daughter loved horses and one day, to please her daughter, Kathleen did a pastel drawing of one of the horses at the nearby stables. Her daughter was delighted, and Kathleen felt ecouraged by what she had achieved - so encouraged that she continued to paint and draw.'

'In 2006 she joined the Equine Art Guild, which is an international organisation for artists specialising in Equine subjects. http://www.equineartists.com/?artist=KathleenBeesley Since coming to Abu Dhabi, Kathleen has been commissioned to paint portraits of Arabian horses for their owners, some of which have become collectors of her work. As an artists she is also extremely versatile, working in acrylic, oils and pastels'

You can also find Kathleen blog here: http://one-a-weekanimalportraits.blogspot.com/ where she is painting a one-a-week animal portrait for SAD charity'

Horse Portrait, by Kathleen Beesley.

As a result of her volunteer work for SAD, she has painted a number of pet portraits of dogs and cats which have been auctioned at the SAD Ball to raise money for the organisation. In addition, she has undertaken a project of painting one portrait a week for the next 52 weeks in order to raise money and awareness for the Strays of Abu Dhabi and the work that they do. In 2009 Kathleen also became a member of the Canine Art Guild which is an international organisation for artists who specialise in canine subjects.

I'll be showcasing our artists over the coming weeks, in no particular order, in the run up to our Grand Charity Auction in April 2010. We will be exhibiting all our finished paintings prior to the auction at a premier hotel here in Abu Dhabi.

We have a real eclectic mix of contemporary/abstract/traditional artworks, to appeal to all kinds of collectors. I've also combined exhibiting artists, with fresh new artists.

So, if you are living locally, you will have the chance to bid on a unique painting with only a nominal reserve price. It is a unique opportunity for anyone who loves art in any style!

As soon as I have our auction date, I'll post it here. C U soon, Laurel. And don't forget, wherever you are, you can join our cause on facebook, and just help us by jumping aboard as a member!
View me Jazz Singing and playing my Saxophone at my Tedx performance this April in Abu Dhabi. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Az_YF_Qocfw

My Art at www.moorethanart.com

For your Art enquires questions@moorethanart.com (All art sent with tracking and insurance via TNT in a postal tube).

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