Saudi Arabia: Sale of pet cats and dogs banned
 

Hey everyone, I hear Canadians also blame the US for getting dogs banned in Saudi Arabia. Evidently if our culture wasn't so inferior then petsmart could still be in business and we wouldn't suffer through more terrorist attacks.


Saudi Arabia: Sale of pet cats and dogs banned

Associated Press, Sep. 8, 2006
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 have issued a decree banning 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, even in one instance letting a cat drink from his ablutions water before washing himself for prayers.

The decree _ which applies to the Red Sea port city of Jiddah 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 Jiddah's city government.

"One bad habit spreading among our youths is the acquisition of dogs and showing them off in the streets and malls," wrote Aleetha al-Jihani in a letter to Al-Madina newspaper. "There's no doubt that such a matter makes one shudder."

"Then what's the point of dragging a dog behind you?" he added. "This is blind emulation of the infidels."

-Rudey

That is JACKED.

I don't really want to know, but what happens to the cats and dogs already there? Can I go get them?

Actually, if we banned the sale of dogs and cats for profit, it would solve some serious animal control issues. Puppy mills, etc. could become a thing of the past. I have to think that'd be a good thing.

The way I read the article, it's not verboten to own dogs and cats, just buy them. Maybe now, people will adopt homeless critters rather than buy the newest hottest breed or mix breed.

I can understand the ban on dogs in Mecca, and to some extent Jiddah (being a major entry point for those on pilgimage) from a religious or cultural standpoint.... the ban on cats those is a bit confusing though - other than maybe to put the pet sellers out of business in the two urban areas; perhaps to eliminate any chance of back-room dog sales or something...

Definitely - some of the pet shops I've seen, the dogs (among other animals) are not in good condition.

I 100% agree that dogs and cats should not be sold for profit ANYWHERE -- frankly, the whole concept disgusts me.

It seemed to me, though, that they're just as bothered by the "parading" of animals in public as they are with the sale -- but banning the sale is easier than banning possession. I might be reading too much into it -- I guess we'll see.

there is only one pet store that sells dogs here and i'm not sure if they are for profitt or not

Also, they don't socialize well. When animals get little human attention in their early years, they tend to develop into less social adults.

Hunting dogs dont come cheap.

LOL if a pet store isn't for profit, it won't be a store for long.

He may be referring to the practice of some pet stores providing adoption centers for local animal shelters to show off their more adoptable wards.

-- thus "selling" dogs not for profit.

All of my animals and my family's animals come from places like that. While they all charge "adoption fees" which probably don't even scratch the surface as to what these folks have to invest in each animal, they don't make a profit.

We've actually done a little pro bono work for one adoption center. They are dead serious about enforcing the part of the adoption agreement requiring spaying/neutering. If you don't turn in proof within x days of adoption, they'll either steal the animal back (as authorized in the contract) or get a pro bono lawyer after you.

Great folks to deal with.

Which shelter is this, Pets'N'People? Because I love the fact that they are sticklers about the spay and neuter contract.

Also, since you are anti-puppy mill, there is a flashlight vigil at the State Capitol on the 30th for tougher legislation for puppy mills.

Pets & People is the one.

I don't really get involved in political demonstrations. For one thing, if this is by "flashlight," then it'll be going on well after the senators/representatives and their staff members have left the area. I might, however, tell my wife (who besides teaching band, orchestra, and yearbook and journalism also teaches newspaper [if you're a teacher, 5 preps should make you cringe]) to send one of her students to cover the demonstration for their school paper.

My sister's college boyfriend was Muslim. Well, I assume he's still Muslim but he's no longer her boyfriend. Anyhoo...

When she and he spent the summer at their vacation house she couldn't bring her dog because his dad was very adament about dogs being unclean and didn't allow them in the house.

Just spoke with an Iranian client about this as we were BS'ing. Apparently, in Tehran, every woman wants to be like Paris Hilton. Thus, small yipyip dogs are "in." This is disturbing to the religious people, and as we know, in Iran, when the religious and secular folks disagree, the religious folks win.

2 of my 3 dogs came from Pets'N'People. The other one was found in the Median of I-44 emaciated, matted, and full of worms. Obviously, he is not any of those things anymore. My bf, a 2L wants to do some of their legal work pro-bono once he graduates.

5 preps?! My father refuses to do more than 2.

The most of the local news stations from OKC, Tulsa, and one from Lawton have been told about the vigil. It starts at noon, I think, and ends at midnight.

She teaches at a charter school, so it's not abnormal for an elective teacher to wear a lot of hats. She almost had 6 preps, but the Principal decided she'd be torchered enough and actually hooked her up with 2 plan periods.

I'm sure she can find a kid to show up if the "real media" will be covering it. Usually, though, our local media stays away from political-oriented stories. We Okies get turned off at even the slightest scent of political activism.

Thats actually pretty disturbing to me as well :p Why would anyone want to be like Paris Hilton :confused:

Cooper:

I'm not sure if that was just an expression, or that he meant it literally.

I don't have a hard time believing that some Persian women would emulate celebrities like Paris Hilton though. Paris Hilton may be more unifying than the U.N. :)

Sorry it's just I've got this image of some Mulah sitting in a Cafe in Mecca when a Paris Hilton clone walks in carrying a little yippie dog... in standard Paris Hiltonesque style she acts like an idiot and a skank, all the while her little dog yipping away... slowly the Mulah looks around and sees more of the Hilton clones on the street walking by, all with little yippie dogs - and here he hits upon the plan to stop the evil Paris Hilton clones in their tracks: by taking away their "cute" weapons of annoyance :D

As I understand it, these sorts of laws will be fairly meaningless in Iran. Money will be paid to police so that the operation of the puppy mills will continue unabated, and all will be well.

That's just plain CRAZY.

I did read that a few years ago, keeping pet pigeons was banned by the Taliban. As well as flying kites- I can see how this second one has a clear USA link.

But what are people going to do then? The amount of thought control there is CRAZY.

Especially since Mohammed himself clearly loved pets.

I don't think I'll ever understand that part of the world.

It seems to me that many people grow to hate Americans because of everything that is available for us to have... but when it's available over there, they ban it because it seems like it is too much of a Western influence? :confused:

Do they want us to be just like them or something?

It seems like they're making up religion as they go along. There's references to Muhammad loving cats so much, he even let one drink from his ablutions water before performing the washing ritual before prayers.