The phenomenon of keeping animals as pets has started to spread in Saudi society. According to the latest statistics by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the country now boasts eleven pet shops, three of which specialize in birds. There is a simple reason for the increase in the number of pet shops – pet lovers spend a lot of money on their animals. And according to psychologists their money is well spent as it boosts the confidence of children. On the other hand, some doctors warn against keeping animals as they say they are crawling with dangerous bacterial, viral and parasitic diseases, while others dismiss pet keeping as a way of emulating the West and a luxury which wastes a lot of money. Cats and dogs Esmat Ahmad is a manager of a pet shop. The shop used to import animals from all over the world but now breeds the animals. Ahmad sells all kinds of animals including hamsters, rabbits, turtles, and fish. However, most of his customers are on the look out for cats and dogs. According to Ahmad, they can expect to spend a lot of money. “The price of a cat ranges between SR1,500-4,000. There are many types: Farisi, Sherazi, American, etc. The price of a dog ranges between SR3,000-SR10,000,” he said, according to a report in Asharq newspaper. But that's not all, as pet food can cost as much as SR2,000 a month, he said. So why would anyone spend that kind of money on a cat? Deema is a university student and a feline lover. She explains that cats are special because unlike fish they interact with humans. “I have my own cat and take good care of her and I take her to the vet for the necessary vaccines.” Ruqaya Abdul Qadir bought her cat, Jakes, three years ago. She provides Jakes with all means of comfort, and Jakes earns his keep. “My cat helped develop my photography skills. I would dress him in certain clothes and take different pictures of him. My fiancé encouraged me to have a pet although my family did not like the idea.” But not all pet lovers end up living happily ever after. High school student Reem Al-Mutairi has been in love with pets since she was a child. However, unfortunately she is also allergic to them. She was eventually forced to sell her cat on her dermatologist's advice. Periodic checkups But parents should not be alarmed according to animal clinic supervisor Dr. Omar Ibrahim. He treats a lot of pets, mostly for respiratory system and ear infections. But he says “these animals are given the necessary vaccines to protect their owners from such diseases”. Luxury and emulating the West However not everybody thinks keeping pets is such a good idea. Dr. Muhammad Shokri Hejazi is a member of the International Union of Muslim Scholars and a member of the Saudi Jurist Society. He believes that people merely keep pets to emulate the West and that the foreign custom is an extravagant waste of money. Dr. Hejazi says: “Dogs are not clean and should only be kept for guarding purposes. However it is permissible to keep cats because one of the Prophet's companions had a cat.” Skin infections Many members of the Saudi medical community agree that animals are a breeding ground for disease. Dr. Amal Bajri, a family medicine consultant at King Saud University, says that most pets cause allergies, especially in children. Dr. Bajri explains that the more children interact and touch animals, the greater the chance that they will get skin infections. The reason is that these animals have fleas in their fur and they carry diseases. “There are over two hundred bacterial, viral and parasitic diseases that are carried by cats, dogs and birds,” Dr. Bajri said. Contagious diseases Family medical consultant Dr. Farhan Al-Eneizi explains that there are two types of diseases that might affect people who keep pets. Firstly, allergic and respiratory diseases for which there are no vaccines or antibiotics. Secondly, the more serious contagious diseases which are transmitted from animals to humans such as toxoplasma. Dr. Al-Eneizi warns that “if a pregnant woman contracts this disease, her baby will have deformities.” But on the other hand, psychologists say that keeping pets boosts children's confidence and increases their sense of responsibility. Psychologist Dr. Haya Al-Su'wailem says “some studies have shown that people who suffer from depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, chronic frustration and irresponsibility will feel better if they take care of pets like cats, dogs, birds and fish and their self confidence will increase and anxiety and depression will decrease”.
