Dog owners in Saudi Arabia can now enjoy a cup of coffee alongside their pets at a new cafe in the coastal city of Khobar.
For Nawaf, also from Saudi Arabia, it was the first time visiting the cafe, which he described as “beautiful”.
The Barking Lots Kuwaiti owner, Dalal Ahmed, said she got the idea during a previous visit to the kingdom.
“I came here to play with the dogs, which now have a cafe for themselves for the first time in Saudi Arabia,” he said.
Young men and women gather at the cafe with dogs of all sizes. Some pets playfully romp around, while others sit on their owners laps, or wait patiently at the counter as their guardian order drinks.
last updated on November 5, 2019
At this stage in your research, you may have learned that bringing dogs into Saudi Arabia is fraught with obstacles. Not only does Saudi Arabia have some of the most complicated pet import processes in the world, but the country’s list of banned dog breeds is immense. The authorities in Saudi follow the strictest interpretation of Islamic sharia regarding dogs, in that they should only be used for hunting, protection, aiding in physical disabilities (like seeing-eye dogs) and general working roles. Even with all this in mind, the following breeds are not permitted to enter Saudi Arabia:
Understandably, we receive a lot of inquiries about the implications of these rules. Here is a list of some frequently asked questions that you may find helpful:
I’m concerned that my dog is categorized as a banned breed. What do I do?
This is a very tough situation. As a general rule, we comply with all international pet import rules exactly. We recommend speaking with one of our consultants about your specific situation to determine what is and is not possible.