NGOs say thousands of cats and dogs were taken from Doha streets ahead of the World Cup

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Organizations that rescue cats and dogs in Doha say thousands of animals were removed from the streets of the capital in the months before the start of the World Cup in Qatar.

An activist says she was threatened with arrest for complaining about the lack of information about their fate.

Members of two NGOs spoke to the Sheet on condition of anonymity, through the exchange of messages by WhatsApp and by email. Organizations find it difficult to survive financially in the country because, under Qatari law, asking for donations is prohibited.

The only animal protection organization that operates legally in the region is Paws Rescue Qatar. But she is registered in the UK.

One of the two NGOs that spoke to the report is run by foreigners who fear deportation if they publicly comment on the matter.

THE Sheet contacted the Department of Animal Rescue, through the Ministry of Environment of Qatar. It was asked, by email, if animals were removed from the streets in the months prior to the FIFA tournament, where they are and if this was done because of the football competition. Until the publication of this text, there was no response.

One of the entities claims that only the ministry can give an exact number of how many cats and dogs were removed from the streets. The NGOs estimate that there were around 5,000 dogs. Cats are “much more than that”, they assure.

They say that Doha has no shelter for cats, and that makes it all the more worrying.

“In the months before the World Cup, there were many more cats and dogs in the streets, mainly cats. They were captured by the pest control department, and the fate of the animals is not clear”, said a representative of one of the entities.

Another claims animal advocates are not allowed entry to places like Rawdat Al Faras, a shelter for dogs. He also says that more dogs and cats are being taken every day.

“They keep taking them and saying they are being treated well. How they have the structure and vets for that is something I don’t understand”, says an activist. According to her, journalists are shown a shelter called Mazrooha, but the number of dogs there is small and does not reflect reality.

The largest population in Doha is cats. Dogs are not found in more urban areas. According to animal defense NGOs, they are more concentrated in industrial zones.

A 2016 estimate says that there are about 3 million cats in Qatar, which would represent practically one for every inhabitant of the country. The Qatari government does not confirm this data. There is also a discussion between specialists in Islam, and the official religion of the region, whether dogs are impure and, therefore, should not be raised in homes.

A government permit is required to keep a cat or dog in your home. Dogs are generally not allowed in public places. They can be taken by their owners to some selected beaches, as long as they are on a leash at all times. There are 14 banned breeds in the country, including boxer, bulldog, doberman and rottweiler.

Before the World Cup, the number of stray cats surprised tourists because, in the urban area, they were everywhere. They were fed and given water by visitors. The scene of cars stopping in the middle of traffic for dogs to pass, common in the western world, took place in Doha with cats.

According to the NGOs interviewed for the article, the action to remove the animals intensified with the proximity of the World Cup. According to them, in the first contacts, the authorities ensured that they were well cared for. This is questioned by the entities.

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