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Wild cats kept as trophy pets in UAE
Updated On: 20 April, 2012 12:30 PM IST | | Agencies
As many as 3,000 people in the UAE keep wild animals like lions, tigers and cheetahs as pets in their homes, claims a bold documentary by a budding Emirati filmmaker.
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Marwan Alhammadi's 15-minute film "Cats" begins with an Emirati taking out a cage with a lion cub from his car at his sprawling villa. The owner explains that his family was initially shocked but later accepted their pet.
"I consider him my son," the man adds in the film screened at the Fifth Gulf Film Festival that ended here this week.
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Another lion cub in the documentary is named Simba, inspired by the movie "Lion King".
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"He is six months old, he is very happy and has a good relationship with the owner," Marwan, a third year student of applied communications at the Dubai Men's College, told IANS in an interview.
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Yet another Emirati is the proud owner of a two-year-old cheetah, which he has fondly named Lolo. The beautiful spotted feline sits with him on the sofa as he speaks about his love for the animal.
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He proudly says in Arabic on camera: "She is with me everywhere - at home, with friends, in the car and sometimes even in bed." No wonder many of these exotic animals have been spotted in public places, shocking UAE residents.
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Pet lion at an Emirati villa
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