How to Start an Animal Welfare Organization in Dubai?

Start An Animal Welfare Organisation in Dubai

Animal welfare is about taking action towards improving the state of animals in your region or locality. The treatment that an animal receives is referred to by many other terms, such as animal care, animal husbandry, and humane treatment. Taking a stand for animal rights means taking care of their physical and mental needs. Thankfully, in the UAE, there are many rescue organisations that dedicate their life to alleviating the suffering of animals.

Let’s first understand more about this activity and how it can be done in the UAE.

The activity under DED is as follows:

• Animal Welfare Organisation
• License Type: Professional
• Activity Description: Includes public utility organisations which work to improve public awareness towards animal welfare importance, save animals from extinction, prevent cruelty and abuse, stop banned hunting and illegal trade in rare animals, urge competent authorities to activate wildlife protection laws and to provide support and guidance plans.

This activity can be done in 2 ways:

1. DED mainland Professional License
2. Charity organisation for the animals (approval from CDA)

Process for License:

a) If it is a DED license the process is fairly simple

• First step would be to get the trade name, Initial approval, MOA signing, Ejari submission, Payment voucher and finally License issuance
• However, the client would not be able to take any kind of charity and ask for a Donation.

b) If a client wants to make it a Charity organisation, then they will need to obtain a permit from the CDA (Community Development Authority)

• First step would be to get the trade name, Initial approval, then submit the forms along with all the Board of members documents and Ejari
• Once the permit is issued, the license can be processed

The laws surrounding charity and fundraising in the UAE

There is a stringent law framework in place in the UAE to regulate charities and fundraising efforts, which is also applicable to the rescue groups and organisations in the country who are legally permitted to collect monetary donations or contributions towards veterinary bills, adoption fees or similar, approved by the proper authority permission and licenses.

NGOs like the Emirates Animal Welfare Society (EAWS) are among the prestigious animal welfare organisations legally registered under the Animal Welfare Association in the UAE, for instance.

What is the key role of such organisations?

• Provide medical care via VETS
• Coordinate and stock feeding/water stations
• Run adoption days for rehoming the animals
• Relocate the animals to foster and forever homes
• Facilitate trap-neuter-return programs

How to open a Non-profit/charity organisation?

What is the requirement to be eligible to open a Non-profit organisation?

If an association wishes to register under DAC (Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry) they should hold the following status:

• Non-profit, non-governmental international /regional economic or professional associations
• Registered in a country that has diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates or that is a subsidiary of one of the organisations of the United Nations

Any other associations/societies/organisations with the below activities fall under the establishment of the Community of Development Authority CDA.

• Charities
• Social clubs
• Student alumni’s
• Specific nationality or specific gender membership

Requirements of members

1. The Association is established by Founding Members not less than 10 members, provided that two of them are UAE Nationals
2. Board of directors not less than 5 members, provided that two of them are UAE Nationals

Licensing phases

First Phase: Submit the documents

1. Fill application form
2. Copy of the license (If available)
3. Copy of Memorandum of the Company (If available)
4. Copy of proposed location
5. Copies of: Passport, Emirates ID, Visa (valid) for Founding Members, Board of Directors/Trustees and Manager
6. Any other documents requested by CDA

Second Phase: After obtaining the initial approval, please submit the following documents to receive the final license

1. Attested Constitution and Attested Board Resolution (Arabic and English versions)
2. Office location for the organisation

Third Phase: payment of license fee (2020 Dhs) Note: the license is valid for one year
 

Fourth Phase: Initial Inspection of the Civil Organisation
 

Fifth Phase: Collect the license
 

Final Phase: Opening a bank account with one of the national banks in the Emirate of Dubai

TIMEFRAME: The CDA will issue its decision on any License application within a period of thirty (30) days from the date of its submission. This period may be extended once for the same period. The application will be deemed rejected if no decision is issued within this period.
 

Know more about the Trade licence cost in Dubai from Flyingcolour

The process to register for the Adoption of animals

After the license, an application called Aleef with Dubai Municipality needs to be filled out.
Aleef is a platform for current and prospective pet owners to manage the adoption and care of animals in Dubai.

What does Aleef do?

• Manages pet information? (Across public and private clinics) on the go
• Enables a single and comprehensive source for adoption
• Provides relevant and credible pet ownership information
• Digitises pet information and history
• Centralises pet points of interest through integrated map functionality
• Facilitates the reporting of stray or found registered animals

For more information on animal welfare organisations in Dubai or anywhere across the UAE.

*Please Note: This article was published on 28th January, 2021. The information provided in the article is based on the policies and rules applicable at the time of writing it. Talk to one of our consultants for any recent updates or changes.