Animal rights group goes online to reach young
DUBAI //An online animated video will show children the suffering of animals that are caught in Africa and imported to be sold as pets.
The video is produced by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (Ifaw) and will replace the books the group released to raise awareness among the young.
The wildlife group says it has turned to the internet in an effort to reach a much bigger audience.
The film will feature animals often imported into the UAE such as monkeys, deer, tortoises, parrots, crocodiles and cheetah cubs.
But before the video goes live, the group will publish their third and final book, Naser and Shabool.
The book is designed to highlight the dangers of keeping wild animals as pets and tells the story of a boy and his lion cub. It was published in partnership with the Emirates Dogs Breeders Society.
"The next story will not be printed, it will be online because we want to reach more children," said Dr Elsayed Mohamed, the programme manager at Ifaw's Dubai office.
"The maximum number of books we can print is 5,000 or 10,000, but online we will target a million."
Naser and Shabool, which is printed in Arabic and English, sends the message that wild animals belong in the wild.
"Accidents can happen at any time and there is a risk of transmission of diseases," said Dr Mohamed.
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