Photos: In changing Saudi Arabia, first dog cafe delights pet lovers

Some pets playfully romp around, while others sit on their owners' laps

Last updated: September 29, 2020 | 16:23

AFP and Compiled by Nathaniel Lacsina, Senior Web Editor

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Khobar, Saudi Arabia: Dog owners in Saudi Arabia can now enjoy a cup of coffee alongside their beloved pets at a new cafe - a first for the ultra-conservative kingdom.

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In Islam, dogs are considered unclean animals - unlike cats - and are generally banned from public places in Saudi Arabia.

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But The Barking Lot, which opened its doors in June in the coastal city of Khobar, has delighted animal lovers in a country where there are few places to take pets outside the home.

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The country's once-notorious religious police used to ban the walking of pets, saying men were using it as a means to make passes at women.

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But the ban was widely flouted and pets are becoming an increasingly common sight. Animal shelters have sprung up in several cities.

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The adoption of strays has become more popular in the rapidly modernising kingdom, which has undergone sweeping changes as part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's "Vision 2030" plan.

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The Barking Lot's Kuwaiti owner, Dalal Ahmed, said she got the idea during a previous visit to the kingdom. "I came to Saudi Arabia for a visit with my dog, but wasn't allowed to walk on the beach with him."

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"I was very sad and decided to help by opening a coffee shop for people who have dogs - and even for those who do not."

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Young men and women gather at the cafe with dogs of all sizes.

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Some pets playfully romp around, while others sit on their owners' laps, or wait patiently at the counter as their guardians order drinks.

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In one section, dogs are treated to washes and blow dries as part of the grooming services offered. "The idea of this cafe is very new," said Johara, a Saudi citizen. "It's a distinct place where dogs can come and meet other dogs."

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For Nawaf, also from Saudi Arabia, it was the first time visiting the cafe, which he described as "beautiful". "I came here to play with the dogs, which now have a cafe for themselves for the first time in Saudi Arabia," he said.

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A woman sits with her German Shepherd.

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A man walks next to his dog.

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A girl holds her dog.

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Dog owners place orders.

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