Volunteering with Meow Meow Rescue
About Meow Meow Rescue
Meow Meow Rescue is an all-volunteer, non-profit group that rescues cats in Dubai and the wider UAE and finds them foster and forever homes. Its story starts with one cat. The lead rescuer’s own cat, Meow, went missing, and while searching for him she met many abandoned and mistreated street cats. As the rescue puts it, “It all started from Meow!”
Today the group runs a foster and adoption programme, carries out Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) work in Dubai and across the UAE, and encourages spaying and neutering. The rescue is mainly based in the UAE, where it takes on special needs and emergency cases. A UK-based team helps with adoptions, fostering and relocation, and some cats are flown from the UAE to new homes in the UK.
What volunteers do
Meow Meow Rescue is run by a volunteer team, and the main way to get involved is by fostering. Fosterers give a cat a safe indoor home while it waits for adoption. Cats stay in care for as long as they need, with no time limit, and receive medical treatment and socialisation along the way.
As a fosterer you would:
- Offer gentle socialisation and patience, as some cats take time to trust people.
- Take the cat to vet appointments when needed.
- Send weekly photos and videos so the team can promote the cat on social media.
- Be patient while the rescue matches cats with families.
Who can volunteer
Fosterers need an indoor-only home. The rescue is clear that garages, sheds and workshops are not suitable. You will also need time for vet trips and the patience to let a nervous cat settle at its own pace.
In return, the rescue says it covers all medical expenses and necessary medication, helps with food and litter (especially for special diets), offers round-the-clock support from its experienced team, and screens potential adopters.
How to get involved
- Get in touch. Use the Contact Us page or email the team to say you are interested in fostering.
- Complete the questionnaire. The rescue will send you a foster questionnaire to fill in.
- Record a video home check. Film a tour of your whole home, including any outdoor space, and introduce yourself on camera for verification.
- Send it all in. Email the questionnaire and video to contact@meowmeowrescue.com, then sit tight while applications are processed.
Fostering and adoption
Every adoption is to an indoor-only home. Adopters must be at least 21, commit to the cat for its whole life, sign a contract and pass a video home check. The rescue asks you to be sure you can offer a home for the next 10 to 15 years.
The process mirrors fostering. You contact the rescue, complete a pre-adoption form, record a home-check video and email both back. Filling in the form does not commit you to adopting.
The rescue’s published fees are set in pounds because many adoptions involve relocation to the UK. A £50 deposit is needed to enter the pre-adoption process, because of a high number of last-minute cancellations. For cats travelling to the UK, a full relocation costs around £600 to £800 per cat, depending on weight and exchange rates. Adopters pay half, roughly £300 to £400, directly to the licensed relocation company, and the rescue fundraises the rest. Adopters can collect their cat from a meeting point near Heathrow or arrange a pet taxi.
Other ways to help
Donations pay for medical care, safe fostering, intensive treatment for cats with serious needs and the rescue’s share of flights to the UK. You can give through the rescue’s GoFundMe or by one-off or monthly PayPal donation, all linked from the Donate page. Sharing adoptable cats on social media also helps, as more eyes means more matches.
Good to know before you go
- Applications take time. The rescue asks for patience, so apply well before you need a decision.
- Film your home check in good light and show every room the cat could reach.
- Secure windows and balconies. Indoor-only is non-negotiable.
- Keep a cat carrier handy for vet trips, and plan transport before your foster arrives.
- If you are moving to the UK, ask about relocation timings early.
Contact and links
- Website: meowmeowrescue.com
- Foster a cat: meowmeowrescue.com/foster-a-cat
- How to apply: meowmeowrescue.com/how-to-apply-
- Adoptable cats: meowmeowrescue.com/adoptables
- FAQ: meowmeowrescue.com/faq
- Email: contact@meowmeowrescue.com
- Instagram: @meow.meow.rescuing