Catherine De la Rosa and her dog, Mikay.

For Catherine De la Rosa, a Filipina expatriate in Abu Dhabi, her three-year-old Shih Tzu, Mikay, is more than just a pet—it is family. But for weeks, De la Rosa has been living a nightmare after Mikay went missing, leaving her desperate for answers and willing to offer a Dh2,000 reward for the dog’s safe return. In an exclusive interview with Expat Media, De la Rosa revealed the emotional toll of losing one of her two dogs. “Whenever I close my eyes, I see her face. It’s been sleepless nights. I cry every day,” she shared. Mikay, a white female Shih Tzu with a black mark on its left ear, disappeared on November 2 after darting out of a friend’s villa in Abu Dhabi’s Muroor 3 area. “My friend couldn’t catch her, and she got lost in the streets,” De la Rosa recounted to Expat Media. Since then, De la Rosa has left no stone unturned in her search. She’s distributed flyers, reached out to local authorities and social media groups, and even combed the streets herself for hours each day. A recent sighting near Al Nahyan Street gave De la Rosa hope, but Mikay remained elusive. “She’s scared and disoriented. I called her, but she ran away,” she said. Mikay, who is microchipped, has been with De la Rosa since it was three months old. “She’s not just a dog; she’s my baby,” said the distraught pet owner, a sales executive who has been living in Abu Dhabi since 2015. De la Rosa’s plea has drawn support from the community. “Strangers have been incredible—sharing posts, sending messages, and even joining the search. It’s heartwarming to see their kindness,” she said. Despite the challenges, De la Rosa remains hopeful. “I believe in miracles, and I won’t stop until I find her,” she said, urging anyone with information to contact her at 0565695917 or 0558845851. For now, she holds onto the memories of Mikay’s playful nature and her unwavering bond with the dog. “Mikay is my joy and I’ll do everything to bring her home.” PIA/Expat Media
For all the latest news from the UAE and the world, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube page