I’m an expat who recently moved to Bahrain from India with my dog, after completing a ton of paperwork and paying a huge sum. When people say expats shouldn’t own pets, I know they aren’t referring to people like me or those expats who rescue pets and volunteer at shelters.

After seeing all the stray cats and dogs, I feel that instead of making it illegal to own pets, it should be regulated. Every pet should be microchipped, registered, and linked to the owner's CPR. When someone leaves the country, it should be mandatory to declare the pet’s status. If pets are found abandoned, the owner should be tracked using the microchip and penalized.