More than 70 cats rescued from Al Sideirah: our part in the TNR

On 2 September 2026, Gulf News published the story of a large cat rescue in Abu Dhabi. Two women, Maria Sanchez and her friend Aira, saved more than 70 cats from Al Sideirah. Demolition crews were near the area, and the cats had nowhere to go.

Maria and Aira brought the cats to our clinic in JVC in groups. Dr. Hesham Adel and the Pet Avenue team did the TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return) for each group.

We are proud of this work. In this article, we tell the story from the Gulf News report. We also tell you what TNR is, why it is important, and how rescuers can work with us.

The story

Maria saw a post online from a woman in Al Sideirah. The post said that demolition was taking place in the area. The cats there needed help urgently.

Maria went to help. She soon saw that the job was very large. More than 70 cats lived in the area. She told Gulf News: "I knew that I wouldn't be able to manage it alone."

Her friend Aira then joined her. Maria said that this help made a very big difference, because they worked long hours in the middle of the summer.

Maria used her annual leave for the rescue. She also gave her free time to it.

How the rescue worked

Maria and Aira could not catch all the cats at the same time. They made a plan and worked in batches. Each batch had 8 to 11 cats.

For each batch, they did these steps:

1. They caught the cats in Al Sideirah. Maria said that she was sometimes outside from 10am to 3pm to catch the cats, in the summer heat.
2. They drove the cats from Abu Dhabi to our clinic in JVC. This is a long drive.
3. They waited while our team treated the cats.
4. They drove the cats back to Abu Dhabi.
5. They released the cats in safe places, away from the demolition site.
6. They went back to catch the next batch.

They did these steps again and again, until they had helped as many cats as possible. Maria said that the work was physically and mentally exhausting. But she continued, because the cats would have no place to go after the demolition started.

Our part at the clinic

At the clinic, Dr. Hesham Adel and our team did the TNR for each batch.

A large group of cats is not easy for a clinic. Each cat needs a check, anaesthesia, surgery and time to recover. The team must plan the day, so that the cats are ready to go back with the rescuers. Our usual patients must also get their care on time.

Maria thanked our team in the Gulf News article. She said: "They carried out their TNR despite the number of cats and the logistical challenges involved."

She also thanked the clinic for its help with the cats during all of the TNR process. To Maria and Aira: thank you. You did the hardest part of the work, in the heat, for many weeks.

Today, the cats are safe.

What is TNR?

TNR means Trap, Neuter, Return. It is a humane way to help community cats (stray cats that live in a group in one area).

These are the usual steps:

• Trap: Rescuers catch the cats safely, usually with humane traps or carriers.
• Neuter: A vet neuters each cat. For a female cat, this is a spay. For a male cat, this is a castration. The vet does the surgery under anaesthesia.
• Return: After the cat recovers, the rescuers release the cat in a safe place. Usually this is the area where the cat lives. In the Al Sideirah rescue, the area was not safe because of the demolition. So the rescuers released the cats in other safe places.

In many TNR programmes, the vet also removes a small tip from one ear while the cat is under anaesthesia. This shows other people from a distance that the cat is already neutered. Then nobody catches the same cat again.

Why TNR is important

A female cat can have kittens many times each year. A small group of cats can become a very large group quickly. Many kittens in the street become sick, get injured or die young.

TNR stops new litters. Over time, the group of cats becomes smaller and healthier. Neutered cats also fight less and roam less, so they get fewer injuries.

TNR is also part of animal welfare work in Dubai. In July 2026, Gulf News reported that the new Dubai Municipality Animal Welfare Shelter in Al Warsan runs a trap-neuter-return programme.

Are you a rescuer?

We want to help people who help animals. If you rescue cats or dogs, talk to us before you bring a group to the clinic. Then we can plan the day with you.

Before you come:

• Call or message us first. Tell us how many animals you have, and when you can bring them. For a large group, we plan batches with you, as we did with Maria and Aira.
• Use safe carriers. Put one cat in each carrier or trap, if possible. Cover the carrier with a light cloth. This helps the cat to stay calm.
• Ask about food before surgery. Our team tells you when the animals must stop eating before the anaesthesia.
• Plan the return. Think about where you can release the cats safely after they recover. Our team tells you when each animal is ready to go.
• Tell us about sick or injured animals. Some rescued animals need treatment before surgery. The vet checks each animal and tells you the plan.

You can read more about neutering and other operations on our surgery page. To talk about a rescue, contact us. For a pet of your own, you can book a visit online.

Meet Dr. Hesham

Dr. Hesham Adel is a veterinary surgeon at Pet Avenue. He did the TNR surgery for the Al Sideirah cats with our team. You can read more about him, see his days at the clinic and book with him on his profile page.

Our clinic is open every day from 10am to 10pm at AMSA 2, Al Barsha South Fourth, JVC. Walk-ins are welcome.

Sources

• Gulf News, "Abu Dhabi cat rescue: How two women saved over 70 cats in Al Sideirah — 'They had nowhere else to go'", 2 September 2026: gulfnews.com
• Gulf News, "Inside Dubai Municipality's new pet shelter: Adoption, care, and TNR", 29 July 2026: gulfnews.com

This article is general information. It is not a diagnosis. For an emergency, call us.