Religious police ban sale of cats and dogs

Saudis ban sale of dogs, cats

Sep. 9, 2006. 01:00 AM DONNA ABU-NASR ASSOCIATED PRESS JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia—Saudi Arabia’s religious police, normally tasked with chiding women to cover themselves and ensuring men attend mosque prayers, are turning to a new target: cats and dogs. The police, known as the Muttawa, have banned the sale of the pets, seen as a sign of Western influence. The prohibition on dogs may be less of a surprise, since conservative Muslims despise dogs as unclean. But the cat ban befuddled many, since Islamic tradition holds that the Prophet Muhammad loved cats — and even let a cat drink from his ablutions water before washing himself for prayers. The decree — which applies to the Red Sea port city of Jeddah and the holy city of Mecca — bans the sale of cats and dogs because ``some youths have been buying them and parading them in public,’’ according to a memo from the Municipal Affairs Ministry to Jeddah’s city government. The memo urges city authorities to help enforce the ban. Pet owning is not common in the Arab world, though dogs are kept for hunting and guarding. In large cities around the Middle East, stray dogs often wander the streets and are considered pests. Street cats are also plentiful, and people will often feed them or play with them — but it isn’t a widespread custom to keep one in the home, and many cannot afford it. However, in the past decades, owning dogs or cats has become a fashion statement among Saudis. Showing off a Doberman, pit bull or fancy breed of feline has became a status symbol. The decree has not been enforced yet, according to several pet shop owners and veterinary clinics in Jeddah. It applies only to selling dogs and cats, and there was no sign the Muttawa would confiscate pets. The decree did not say whether the religious police would try to stop people from appearing in public with a dog or cat — or whether owners would be allowed to sell puppies or kittens born to their pets. The ban distressed cat and dog lovers. Some have wondered why the religious police are focusing on this issue when the country has far more important challenges, such as terrorism and unemployment. “I was shocked when I heard about it,” said Fahd al-Mutairi, who owns 35 cats, which cost him $1,000 (U.S.) a month to feed and care for. “What was even more shocking was to hear that the ban came from an authority that has nothing to do with such an issue.’’ “I would understand if it came from the Health Ministry or anybody charged with ensuring pets coming from outside do not carry diseases,” added the 23-year-old flower-shop owner. No other Arab country restricts pet ownership. But in Iran, ruled by Shiite clerics, religious police sometimes harass people seen outside with their dogs. Last year, Iranian police told people not to bring their dogs out in public, but the order was never backed up by law and dog-owners widely ignored it.

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I’m no fan of the Saudis (and definitely no fan of their religious police), but I think a ban on the sale of dogs and cats doesn’t sound like a bad idea.  After all, if a ban was put in place here, it might finally cut down on puppy mills (I’m not advocating a ban, merely saying I can see it might have an “up” side).  However, I doubt this ban in Saudi Arabia is going to have any essence of “reasonable” about it, and I worry it will lead to owners being forced to give up their pets.  I’m interested to see if organizations like HSUS have an official response to this news.

Posted by Leigh-Ann on 09/09 at 06:41 PM

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