Letter: Dogs need somewhere to walk and socialise

This content was originally posted in 7DAYS UAE website at: Letter: Dogs need somewhere to walk and socialise I was surprised and annoyed to read that Dubai Municipality has refused even a tiny stretch (100m) of beach for a dog walking space, as they say there is ‘limitation in public beaches (sic) areas in Dubai’. I remember the ample public stretches of beach back in the mid nineties, many kilometres of them. So, we can ask why there are not enough public beach areas now, and the answer is clear. Private developments have been allowed to buy up large stretches of previously public beach. Dubai residents are pushed aside in favour of money: development of expensive beachfront housing; tourist hotel beaches where money-spending tourists can frolic; even touristic money-spinning attractions. The beach now in Dubai seems purely a commodity, convertible to money. The remaining few public areas now feel like a small concession to the many poor, not a beautiful free resource made available to all. Enjoy it, of course, but only if you have the money. There is another side to this: dogs need to be socialised or they become suspicious and even aggressive (people are just the same). Residents should not have to offer to pay a fee or obtain a licence to have a space where their pets can become normalised. I don’t live near a beach and won’t be affected, but I see the need to change this. Old Values, Dubai Read the original story at: Letter: Dogs need somewhere to walk and socialise