JEDDAH, 20 February 2003 — Domestic pets are being prepared for departure from the Kingdom by expatriates who themselves may decide to leave in the event of a US-led war on Iraq. There has been a slight but noticeable rise in the number of inoculations and vaccination certificates, which are required by many countries before animals can be imported.
The majority of inoculations are for Western countries, especially North America. “People are getting the paperwork in place well in advance of their projected departure,” said Dr. Slobodan Matic, a veterinary surgeon at the Jeddah Veterinary Clinic.
Dr. Nadeem Qureshi at the Tahlia International Veterinary Clinic told Arab News that domestic animals, which have become used to a cosseted lifestyle, are often left behind by departing expatriates. He thought it encouraging that since applications were on the increase this was less likely to happen this time.
“It is a sad fact that many people still abandon their animals when they leave and expect them to fend for themselves on the street,” he said.
Since domesticated cats have been de-clawed and fed regularly, they would have little or no chance of survival amongst Jeddah’s feral cat population.
Inquiries and reservations for boarding animals are also on the increase at the Tahlia clinic.
While expatriates who plan or anticipate departure are seeking appropriate medical cover for their animals, lack of awareness of animal health and its possible effect on humans is still a major problem locally.
“A common problem that we have brought to the attention of local physicians is a disease carried by domestic birds often mis-diagnosed as asthma,” said Deborah Zahid, animal psychologist, dolphin trainer and founder of the Tahlia Veterinary Clinic. “Inoculation should be seen as a standard procedure for domestic animals, not just as a legal requirement to meet import regulations.”
Transfer of diseases from animals to humans is not a new phenomenon, Bovine Spongiform Encephalitis (BSE) being a recent devastating example in Europe and the Kingdom.
