If you're living in Dubai's Jumeirah, beware! Someone has been allegedly poisoning cats in your neighborhood.
This week, animal activists claimed that four cats had been murdered on a stretch of Jumeirah 3, saying a "cat serial killer" is on the loose.
Residents also said at least 10 cats have been killed, along with 12 birds, in recent weeks.
As the deaths are believed to be caused by poison, residents have expressed serious concerns for their children as well.
"If this doesn’t stop, my fear is that a child may fall sick due to poisoning. There are so many kids who ride bikes and play in the area. What if one of them accidentally touches the poisoned food or an affected cat or bird?" A concerned mother told Gulf News .
The same woman had tried to save three of the poisoned cats.
"They were shaking, twitching and having terrible spasms. They messed themselves and bled. They had no heartbeat and their tongues hung out. They died a slow death in a couple of hours," she said, recounting the horrific memory.
If a perpetrator is caught, he or she could face hefty consequences.
Violating animal rights, protected under UAE Federal Law 16 of 2007, is punishable by up to one year of imprisonment and a fine of up to 20,000 AED ($5,445), according to The National .
But it's also possible that common pesticides could be behind the mysterious deaths.
"The most common source of poisoning among pets and strays is pesticides," one veterinarian told Gulf News. "However, I have so far not received any major poisoning case, warranting an autopsy. The animals were brought to the clinic following severe diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration and we were able to manage them effectively. In most of these instances, the animal had ingested a pesticide or traces of it."
He explained that cats are particularly vulnerable to pesticides.