Every time we walk past a cage and choose to see only the 'cuteness' rather than the cramped, unsanitary conditions and the malnutrition, we become enablers of the abuse. These animals are not art pieces for a collection or designer bags for our arms; they are lives being 'restocked' like shelf-stable inventory to satisfy a social hunger for distinction.

We normalize these horrifying conditions and abuse and pet shops take advantage of this normalization. The pet buyers that would buy from these places walk into a pet shop and buy a pet, leaving behind all the horrible selling conditions the pets were in. Many of these pet shops in souq waqif and other stores operate in an inhumane way,“I found them bathing aka abusing a dog they were pulling his skin super hard and the dog was barking” the post urged “if you are Qatari you should report them”. Another news article from Qatar day urged the need for animal protection laws in Qatar stating the animals in Souq waqif are “kept in cramped unsanitary conditions” and “many animals exhibit signs of distress and malnutrition”. 

By signing this petition, you are demanding that the Ministry of Municipality end this normalized cruelty and hold these shops accountable. Sign now to stop these pet shops from continuing. Wake up—they are not heartbeats for sale.