Dubai ruler orders cat killers to clean zoo

Three Emirati men who fed a live cat to dogs have been ordered to clean a zoo as a punishment, UAE's news agency has reported.

The men will be forced to clean up at Dubai Zoo for four hours every day, over the next three months.

The order came directly from Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum who said it will serve as a message to others in the UAE that animal cruelty will not be tolerated.

"Those reckless men committed a crime that was against basic human principles. This brutal and cruel act contravenes our values and the teaching of our tolerant religion, which preaches mercy and welfare for animals," Maktoum said in a statement.

The UAE was shocked by a sickening video that emerged this week showing a terrified cat being fed to Rottweiler dogs.

While some have criticised the light punishment and wanted jail sentences for the crime, others believe it is a step in the right direction for a region which rarely punishes cases of animal cruelty.

Dubai's ruler occasionally intervenes to dish out personally crafted punishments in high profile cases.

Last month, Maktoum ordered a 17-year-old to clean the streets as a punishment after a video emerged showing the Emirati performing dangerous stunts in his car on Dubai roads.

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) March 15, 2017" style="color:#fff;" class="twitter-post-link" target="_blank">Twitter Post . @HHShkMohd orders men involved in cat cruelty incident to clean #Dubai Zoo facilities for 4 hours daily for 3 months as community service pic.twitter.com/t9QEepoIg6 — Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) March 15, 2017