Mall of Qatar marked World Animal Day with its first-ever animal welfare initiative, “Every Paw Deserves a Home,” held in collaboration with #BigBMeetup on 3 October. The initiative focused on promoting animal welfare, supporting Qatar’s local rescue community and raising awareness about the importance of providing rescued animals with safe and loving homes.

The event brought together animal rescuers, welfare advocates, families and community members for an afternoon centred on compassion, responsible pet care and support for animals in need.

One of the highlights of the initiative was seeing several rescued animals successfully find new homes. Families opened their hearts to the animals and welcomed them into their lives, marking a meaningful outcome for the rescue community and reflecting the main purpose of the event.

Families and children taking part in the initiative also enjoyed face painting and a pet-themed upcycled art workshop, adding creative activities to the afternoon.

As part of the programme, Mall of Qatar and #BigBMeetup also hosted a panel discussion titled “Animal Welfare in Qatar: How We Can Work Together to Improve the Lives of Our Furry Friends.” The discussion featured Dr. Amal Al Malki, Nagham Al Badawi, Lana Malkawi, Kelly Allen and Charlotte Gelmette.

The panel explored the animal welfare landscape in Qatar, the challenges faced by animals and the ways individuals, organisations and the wider community can work together to improve their wellbeing.

The initiative highlighted the importance of community involvement in animal welfare and the role that responsible care, awareness and adoption can play in giving rescued animals a better future.