Qatar’s obsession over exotic animals for pets
If you have been living in Qatar for some time now, you would have noticed the strange fondness that some of the people here have over rearing wild animals as pets.
These “exotic” pets range from Cheetahs, Lions, Ball Pythons to Chimpanzees and Tarantulas, and of course they don’t come cheap.
(Pic courtesy:Tumbler)
It was reported by The Peninsula last year that the average price for a lion cub would be around QR90,000 while a chimpanzee could be sold for around QR70,000.
The news item further reported that there is a "secret market" that trade such wild animals in the country.
Also, many pictures of cheetahs with collars seated in Land Cruisers have been circulating around the nation since some time now, reflecting a practice in many parts of the Gulf where wild cats and exotic pets are reared as symbols of power and wealth.
(Pic courtesy:Pinterest)
However, last year the Ministry of Interior (MoI) has made it illegal to trade in such wild animals as pets and also MoI issued a warning last year against bringing up wild animals as pets to all the residents of Qatar.
In spite of all this, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Environment yesterday, a resident in Qatar has been arrested for illegally selling a chimpanzee.
More about this incident could be read here.
Bringing up wild animals as pets is a practice that should be stopped immediately due to a few reasons-
1- Being very different from domestic animals, wild animals are called “wild” for a reason. They would always be a threat to those around and could harm anyone. A clear example for this would be the Filipina maid in Kuwait who was killed by a lion that was brought up as pet in the house where she was working.
2- Wild animals should be in the wild. Not in capture at homes that could lead trauma, behavioral problems, malnutrition etc in them.
3- To make the wild animals considerably safe, their owners tend to remove their teeth and claws which is totally cruel and inhumane.
4- Also, treating a wild animal could be a problem at most animal clinics, for who keeps pills intended for a man-eating lion in their cupboards?
Although, the law that makes trading wild animals as pets in Qatar illegal have been implemented since some time now, people still seem to be rearing them as pets.
What do you think? Comment your thoughts below.
(Cover image courtesy:Omar Sobhani)
Rizks: You short sighted Mr. Magoo. That was Sulieman. He came over for a Karak and Carum
britey can you get rid of tat baby chimpanzee which u r keeping in ur house as a pet ! :(
Agree with WT. The owners do it more as a way of showing off or as a status symbol. The authorities need to BAN the import and ownership of such animals. Anyone not complying should be prosecuted.
And these animals gets killed when they do something wrong when its actually their instinct.
It's the usual. There is a law, but implementation is missing.