[Vision2020] Saudi Capital Bans Pets Because of Flirting Factor

[Tom Hansen]

>From today's (August 1, 2008) Spokesman Review -

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Saudi capital bans pets because of flirting factor 
Donna Abu-nasr, Associated Press
August 1, 2008

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Walking a dog in the park is a sure babe magnet. 
Saudi Arabia's Islamic religious police, in their zeal to keep the sexes 
apart, want to make sure the technique doesn't catch on.

The solution: Ban selling dogs and cats as pets, as well as walking them 
in public.

The prohibition went into effect Wednesday in the capital, Riyadh, and 
authorities in the city say they will strictly enforce it – unlike 
previous bans in the cities of Mecca and Jiddah, which have been ignored 
and failed to stop pet sales.
 
Violators found outside with their pets will have their beloved poodles 
and other furry companions confiscated by agents of the Commission for the 
Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, the official name of the 
religious police, tasked with enforcing Saudi Arabia's strict Islamic code.

The commission's general manager, Othman al-Othman, said the ban was 
ordered because of what he called "the rising of phenomenon of men using 
cats and dogs to make passes at women and pester families" as well 
as "violating proper behavior in public squares and malls."

"If a man is caught with a pet, the pet will be immediately confiscated 
and the man will be forced to sign a document pledging not to repeat the 
act," al-Othman told the Al-Hayat newspaper. "If he does, he will be 
referred to authorities." The ban does not address women.

The Saudi-owned Al-Hayat announced the ban in its Wednesday edition, 
saying it was ordered by the acting governor of Riyadh province, Prince 
Sattam, based on an edit from the Council of Senior Islamic Scholars and 
several religious police reports of pet owners harassing women and 
families.

So far, the prohibition did not appear to have any effect in Riyadh. It's 
extremely rare, anyway, to see anyone in the capital walking a dog – much 
less carrying a cat in public – despite the authorities' claims of 
flirtatious young men luring girls with their pets in malls.

Salesmen at a couple of Riyadh pet stores said Thursday they did not 
receive any orders from the commission banning the sale of pets. Cats and 
dogs were still on display.

"I didn't hear of the ban," said Yasser al-Abdullah, a 28-year-old Saudi 
nurse, who was at one pet store with his 3-month-old collie, Joe.

Al-Abdullah, who also owns an 8-month-old Labrador, said a couple of 
Western friends had been told to get off the streets by the religious 
police for walking their dogs.

"I won't allow the commission to take my dogs from me," he said.

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Seeya at Farmers' Market, Moscow (and, please, bring your pet).

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"We're a town of about 23,000 with 10,000 college students. The college 
students are not very active in local elections (thank goodness!)."

- Dale Courtney (March 28, 2007)


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