Meet Chase: The cocker spaniel who just landed the cutest ‘job’ in Dubai
Ankita Shukla | Feb 07, 2026, 23:01 IST
If there’s been a sudden spike in smiles around Jumeirah Lake Towers lately, one floppy-eared reason might be behind it. Locals have been stopping mid-walk, phones coming out, voices going all soft - all because of one ridiculously friendly cocker spaniel who seems to have made it his life’s mission to greet every human and dog in sight. His name is Chase, and he’s somehow become the neighbourhood’s most unexpected little celebrity.
If there’s been a sudden spike in smiles around Jumeirah Lake Towers lately, one floppy-eared reason might be behind it. Locals have been stopping mid-walk, phones coming out, voices going all soft - all because of one ridiculously friendly cocker spaniel who seems to have made it his life’s mission to greet every human and dog in sight. His name is Chase, and he’s somehow become the neighbourhood’s most unexpected little celebrity.
According to Khaleej Times, Chase was recently crowned JLT’s very first Chief Dog Officer (CDO) after winning a fun, community-led contest. The idea was to pick a four-legged ambassador who would welcome new pups to the area and show off how pet-friendly the neighbourhood really is.
His human, Samantha D’Sa, still can’t quite believe he won. “It was meant to be just a fun thing,” she told Khaleej Times. “I honestly didn’t think he’d actually win.” Chase, on the other hand, seems very comfortable in his new role - soaking up the attention, rocking custom outfits, and enjoying way too many treats. “He’s absolutely loving the perks,” Samantha laughed. “Especially the snacks.”
Samantha, a Canadian expat, moved to the UAE about a year ago. Chase wasn’t even meant to be her dog at first. She agreed to foster him when his previous family had to leave the country and needed help rehoming him. “I didn’t even have a dog bowl or food at home,” she recalled. “We were out shopping for dog stuff at 11 at night.”
What started as fostering turned into forever pretty quickly. Within a few days, Samantha found herself planning her life around Chase - daycare, travel, boarding - the whole pet-parent routine. “I didn’t even realise it at the time,” she said, “but I had already decided he was staying.”
With daily walks around the lakes, café stops, vet visits, and dog park trips, Chase soon became a familiar face in JLT. “He’s a proper people-dog,” Samantha shared. “Cocker spaniels are like Velcro - he wants to be friends with everyone. Humans, dogs, you name it.”
It was during one of these walks that a neighbour suggested entering Chase into the Chief Dog Officer contest. “She basically wouldn’t take no for an answer,” Samantha laughed. “She took my number and told me I had to nominate him.” With some help from colleagues and friends, they put together a video - and next thing she knew, Chase had the title.
Now, as JLT’s official furry ambassador, Chase’s “duties” include showing off pet-friendly walking routes and cafés, popping up at community events, and encouraging good behaviour in shared spaces. He’ll also be part of the buzz around the launch of JLT’s new dog park in Cluster B - something local pet parents are genuinely excited about.
“Honestly, he’s just going to keep doing what he already does,” Samantha said. “Being friendly, social, and part of the community.”
She added that one of the reasons she loves living in JLT is how welcoming it is for pet owners. That said, she hopes Dubai continues to grow in terms of pet-friendly infrastructure. “It’s getting better, for sure, but there’s still room to grow,” she said, pointing out how moving around the city with a dog can be tricky. “Right now, you have to book pet taxis in advance. It would be amazing if regular taxis had pet-friendly options too.”
For now, though, Chase seems perfectly happy living his best life - greeting neighbours, spreading good vibes, and proving that sometimes, the best community ambassadors walk on four legs and wag their tails.
Image source: jltbydmcc/Instagram
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According to Khaleej Times, Chase was recently crowned JLT’s very first Chief Dog Officer (CDO) after winning a fun, community-led contest. The idea was to pick a four-legged ambassador who would welcome new pups to the area and show off how pet-friendly the neighbourhood really is.
His human, Samantha D’Sa, still can’t quite believe he won. “It was meant to be just a fun thing,” she told Khaleej Times. “I honestly didn’t think he’d actually win.” Chase, on the other hand, seems very comfortable in his new role - soaking up the attention, rocking custom outfits, and enjoying way too many treats. “He’s absolutely loving the perks,” Samantha laughed. “Especially the snacks.”
Samantha, a Canadian expat, moved to the UAE about a year ago. Chase wasn’t even meant to be her dog at first. She agreed to foster him when his previous family had to leave the country and needed help rehoming him. “I didn’t even have a dog bowl or food at home,” she recalled. “We were out shopping for dog stuff at 11 at night.”
What started as fostering turned into forever pretty quickly. Within a few days, Samantha found herself planning her life around Chase - daycare, travel, boarding - the whole pet-parent routine. “I didn’t even realise it at the time,” she said, “but I had already decided he was staying.”
With daily walks around the lakes, café stops, vet visits, and dog park trips, Chase soon became a familiar face in JLT. “He’s a proper people-dog,” Samantha shared. “Cocker spaniels are like Velcro - he wants to be friends with everyone. Humans, dogs, you name it.”
It was during one of these walks that a neighbour suggested entering Chase into the Chief Dog Officer contest. “She basically wouldn’t take no for an answer,” Samantha laughed. “She took my number and told me I had to nominate him.” With some help from colleagues and friends, they put together a video - and next thing she knew, Chase had the title.
Now, as JLT’s official furry ambassador, Chase’s “duties” include showing off pet-friendly walking routes and cafés, popping up at community events, and encouraging good behaviour in shared spaces. He’ll also be part of the buzz around the launch of JLT’s new dog park in Cluster B - something local pet parents are genuinely excited about.
“Honestly, he’s just going to keep doing what he already does,” Samantha said. “Being friendly, social, and part of the community.”
She added that one of the reasons she loves living in JLT is how welcoming it is for pet owners. That said, she hopes Dubai continues to grow in terms of pet-friendly infrastructure. “It’s getting better, for sure, but there’s still room to grow,” she said, pointing out how moving around the city with a dog can be tricky. “Right now, you have to book pet taxis in advance. It would be amazing if regular taxis had pet-friendly options too.”
For now, though, Chase seems perfectly happy living his best life - greeting neighbours, spreading good vibes, and proving that sometimes, the best community ambassadors walk on four legs and wag their tails.
Image source: jltbydmcc/Instagram
Timespet:
Celebrate the bond with your pets, explore Health & Nutrition, discover Breeds, master Training Tips, Behavior Decoder, and set out on exciting Travel Tails with Times Pets!