During curfew pet owners struggle to feed their pets

AMMAN — Many pet owners in the Kingdom are having trouble buying food and supplies for their animals after shops closed in light of the curfew imposed to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus, according to a pet shop owner.

“These are types of foods that are not sold at regular supermarkets, but only at pet shops, and we receive hundreds of calls every day from people who want us to deliver specialised pet food to them, but because of the curfew, we are not permitted,” Mohammad Abu Feilat, owner of a pet store in Amman, told The Jordan Times on Tuesday over the phone.

Abu Feilat said that he and several others contacted the authorities to address the issue, but were told that authorities were very busy with the crisis and there was not a chance to discuss the matter properly.

“The stores are still closed, and we just hope to be able to operate like grocery stores and deliver,” he said, noting that many people do not have adequate supplies of pet food.

Abu Feilat stated that pets that are used to a certain type of pet food would become sick or refuse to eat if their diet is changed suddenly.

The storeowner suggested allowing shops licensed to sell pet food to deliver it to people’s homes, especially to those who do not have enough food until mid-April. He added that if the curfew lasts longer “many animals would suffer”.

“Last week, very few pet stores received permits to only go once during the day to open the shop and feed the animals, and then close it, but by the time they were allowed to do that, some of the animals had already died, so there is a lot to consider for this sector in regards to the lives of its animals and in regards to its finances as well,” he noted.

Beesan Fathi, a resident in Amman, told The Jordan Times that she does not know of any stores to get the brand of cat food she usually gets, so she had to get a different one in order to make sure her pet does not starve.

Mera Ali, who also lives in Amman, said that there are stores that deliver food for her cats and another shop where she can buy cat litter from, noting the prices are reasonable and due to the curfew delivery fees went from free to paid in light of the involvement of third parties.

The Jordan Times contacted the spokespeople of the ministries of health and labour to inquire about the number of veterinarians with permits but the information was not available. The Jordan Veterinary Association was also not available for comment.

On Facebook, “the campaign to save pets through supplying medicine and food throughout the curfew” launched, and has over 750 members, demanded from the authorities that they find a solution that would allow them to feed their beloved pets.

On the group, Abeer Zaror posted, “I have many cats that need food, but I cannot find any shops that deliver,” while Nour Quzeih posted the contact information of a few veterinarians, noting that store owners can coordinate with them to have the pets stuck in their closed shops fed.

Another member, Tasneem Alnasamat, called on the authorities to add pet food to the list of items that can be delivered, noting that “pets are not a luxury, they are a vital part of our lives and it is our responsibility to feed them.”