We’ve all seen the pitiful stray animals that populate the streets of every town in Saudi Arabia. While the Kingdom’s weather never becomes bitterly cold, the extremely high summer heat is perhaps even worse for these creatures who must fend for themselves. Now is the time of year when many families begin feeding stray cats or bring a cuddly pal home from the pet shop. The People’s Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) has launched a new website — www.saudipaws.com — to help people understand and better respect the domesticated animals who live among us.
The message the website aims to convey is that caring for domesticated animals humanely is a responsibility of society as a whole. At the website, PAWS discusses the best methods to control cat populations on compounds and in neighborhoods. PAWS advises against feeding stray cats because feeding strays can create many problems.
“Feeding encourages breeding, confuses the cat if you no longer care for it — it thinks you own it. Domestic cats get into fights over territory and get fat on the left out food,” writes PAWS. “The spread of germs and disease can develop when food is left in the open particularly during the summer days.”
While PAWS is “hands on” only in the Eastern Province, through the website the group plans to relay information of importance to animal lovers throughout the Kingdom. In the Eastern Province, PAWS helps to facilitate the adoption of strays and the re-homing of pets. Thus, it is hoped that www.saudipaws.com will enable animals in need to make connections with individuals interested in offering them loving homes.