Another disturbing observation re: Iraq. Where are the pets?

[DemoTex]

Dogs and cats are universal and ubiquitous. However, I never see pets in pics from Iraq. I saw dogs all over Viet Nam (very few cats, though), including my unit's two much-loved mascots, Norby and Whitesides. What's up in Iraq with the pets? Any ideas?

[MadMaddie]

1. That is a good question...I suspect also a sad question....

the people are having trouble feeding themselves.....every living being that * chimpboy comes in contact with he destroys....

[DemoTex]

11. Question brought to mind by the Katrina disaster ..

I cannot picture a scenario where I would not save my dog. I even have a storm cellar for tornadoes here that he loves because it's cool (60-degrees). It is also a wine cellar. I also keep a 2-meter/HF ham transceiver (ICOM-706) in the storm cellar.

[TomInTib]

2. I have noticed that, too. I think they beat it out of town.

This is heavy-arms urban warfare. I do not believe too many dogs or cats would hand around with all that rattle.

Up North in our glorious gig, the pigs and dogs would clear during a 52 run. But they would just generally run around and go back home.

[DemoTex]

15. Or end up on the menu.

Know what I mean, Tom?

[Redstone]

19. I guarantee you he does.

Redstone

[TomInTib]

28. Hey, Redstone

see my post #20.

It should appeal to your twisted mind.

[Redstone]

29. Oh, that was damn funny.

Redstone

[TomInTib]

20. Oh, do I...

My father-in-law's sister and husband moved onto one of our properties on Dickinson Bayou (on the Texas coast next to Galveston).

Their ancient miniature poodle, Fifi, went missing one day. After a frantic search - me driving this hysterical old lady around town while she was hollering "Fifi, Fifi" out the window - she decided to take official action.

So she insists we go to the police station and file a report. Keep in mind I know everyone in this little town and have never heard the last of it.
We go in and the Chief of Police comes over to find out what is going on with this crazy woman.
I told him about the missing dog.
He asks me what size the poodle was.
I tell him the dog was a miniature.
He says, "Well, ma'am, I hate to tell you this, but since them Vietnamese come in we don't find many of them little ones anymore."

Total freakout.

One of the most hilarious things I have ever witnessed.

[MissB]

23. How sad for FiFi.

:rofl:

[mike_c]

3. dogs are not commonly kept as pets in many arab cultures...

...and cats require either a fair amount of care or the ability to forage. The latter is probably difficult in all but the marsh regions of Iraq, and probably even there to some degree now-- besides, we don't seem much info coming out of the marshes anyway-- not many people there, either.

I don't know about other pets. Birds?

[Truthiness Inspector]

6. That is true

Many Muslims consider dogs and cats "haram," which means unclean. So while there may be many dogs and cats in Iraq, I'm not sure how that number would translate as family pets. I have Muslim friends in Dubai who have a dog and a cat, but it is not uncommon for Muslims to not have pets.

[DemoTex]

17. I thought that might be the case .. cultural/religious issues.

But still, the animals are prolific. There must be some, and how fare they?

[Jazz2006]

21. Oh my ~

Sorry for this off topic post, but I just had to jump in to say that I LOVE your user name!!

:rofl:

Welcome to DU.

:hi:

[BuyingThyme]

4. ..

[WiltedFlowerChild]

7. Yikes!

Condi makes an ugly dog!

[lumpy]

8. Oh for heavens sake !

LOL

[Redstone]

27. That is just SO wrong, on SO many levels...I like it!

Redstone

[Redstone]

5. On the dinner plate.

Redstone

[greatauntoftriplets]

9. Dog! It's what's for dinner.

Urp.

[Redstone]

10. There are MANY more people in the world who eat dog than do not.

Just so you know.

Redstone

[greatauntoftriplets]

13. Oh, I know that....

Some years ago, I was in a hotel gift shop in Shanghai. Looking at a fur coat in a showcase and I could not figure out what kind of fur it was. So I asked the shop assistant. :(

On edit: I also saw puppies for sale in the street markets. Not as pets. As well as cats for sale in Haiti. Again destined for the dinner plate.

[Redstone]

18. Dog, I know I've had. Cat, probably without knowing it.

I'll bet the cat was the meal(s) I didn't like.

Redstone

[Igel]

14. Dog's aren't halal. n/t

[Redstone]

25. Starvation trumps halal any day.

Redstone

[pitohui]

12. i thought muslims don't keep dogs

before you browbeat me abt the head and shoulders, i do understand that saddam hussein's iraq was SECULAR but today's horribly devastated iraq is a muslim country, i should think any remaining jews or christians w. women in the family who don't want them in veils forever have fled for their lives

dogs are not universal, they are unclean, cats are not universal, they cause respiratory disease in the vulnerable

[Igel]

16. And Toxoplasmosis, as the pop science crowd has been

reading about recently.

Toxoplasma, odd little parasite.

[DemoTex]

22. Sorry, how does that fit?

I've heard of toxoplasmosis but never linked to dogs and cats. Vat's up vith that, eh?

[MissB]

30. At least to cats that I know of.

Pregnant women are always warned against cleaning the litter box because of the dangers of toxoplasmosis and its effects on the fetus.

[Redstone]

31. God yes, I'm not surprised. When the mother of my older son

(not "my ex-wife," she's not "my" anything) was pregnant, I had to take over those duties.

What an utterly revolting experience. I'll never do it again.

Redstone

[amerikat]

24. This pic of soldier and cat always warms my heart

I'm sure this is middle east, not Iraq. Probably Israeli soldier. The humanity and the coolness of animals comes thru in this photo.

[catmother]

26. i don't know why. but i hope there not in "harms way".

[Karmakaze]

32. Maybe Fallujah put the Iraqi's off having dogs?

This would sure put me off having a dog around: Marines hunt Fallujah's stray dogs feeding on human corpses

[Cleita]

33. Didn't they have a zoo there too that we never hear about

anymore? What happened to Saddam's tigers and other animals that he kept?